TEHRAN A hardline editor seen as close to Irans top authority accused a powerful cleric on Saturday of backing law-breakers, in comments highlighting deepening divisions in the Islamic Republic after a disputed election.

Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the Kayhan daily, also criticised former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani for saying in a sermon on Friday Iran was in crisis.

In apparent defiance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Rafsanjani said many Iranians had doubts about the official result of the June 12 vote and he also took issue with the way the authorities had handled the poll and its aftermath.

As he led Friday prayers at Tehran University for the first time since the election, tens of thousands of protesters outside used the event to stage the biggest show of dissent for weeks.

Clashes erupted near the university between police and followers of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, who came second and still contests official results that showed President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad had been re-elected by a wide margin.

The government has portrayed post-election mass protests last month as the work of local subversives, or rioters, and Western powers seeking to topple the Islamic establishment.

Most certainly Mr Rafsanjani is familiar with the definition of a crisis. The most meaningful word to describe the current conditions is a conspiracy, Shariatmadari said in an editorial.

He said Rafsanjani, a moderate who backed Mousavis election campaign, had done nothing to prevent the gathering of Mousavi supporters inside and outside Tehran University, where prayers are held each Friday and broadcast live on state radio. -Reuters