TEHRAN, (Reuters) – Iran’s supreme leader accused the pro-reform pposition on Sunday of violating the law by insulting the Islamic Republic’s founder.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also said the opposition had encouraged Iran’s enemies to undermine the Islamic system, in a speech broadcast by state television. He urged it to return to “the right path”.

Referring to the disputed June election, which the opposition says was rigged in favour of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Khamenei said: “The election is over. It was legal and they could not demonstrate their claim (of vote fraud).” “Some people created riots and encouraged people to stand against the system… paving the way for our hopeless enemies to undermine the Islamic revolution.”

Iran’s official media accuses pro-opposition students of tearing up a picture of the Islamic Republic’s late founder, Ayatholla Ruhollah Khomeini, during a state organised rally on last Monday that turned violent when the opposition hijacked the rally to protest against the government.

The elite Revolutionary Guards urged the judiciary on Sunday to confront in a “revolutionary way” those behind an “insult” to Ayatollah Khomeini.

Khamenei said the opposition rallies where illegal. “They are openly violating the law, they insulted imam Khomeini,” he said.

The leader urged authorities to identify “those behind the insult to imam Khomeini.”