Mousavi Makes Public Appearance at Rafsanjani-Led Friday Prayers

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former Iranian president, has said that Iran is in "crisis", referring to the upheaval in the country following last month's disputed presidential election.

Delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at Tehran University, Rafsanjani, a known critic of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the current president, also called on the authorities to free those detained during the post-poll protests.

"We are all members of a family. I hope with this sermon we can pass through this period of hardships that can be called a crisis," he said.

"In the current situation it is not necessary for us to have a number of people in prisons ... we should allow them to return to their families," Rafsanjani added.

Among thousands who attended the prayers was Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated pro-reform presidential candidate.

It was Mousavi's first public appearance since the June 12 vote, which he says was rigged.

link: Al Jazeera English - Middle East - Rafsanjani: Iran in crisis