©2002 IranMania & AFP
Photo/Atta Kenare
This file picture dated 16 November 1999 shows prominent cleric and prayer leader of the central Iranian city of Isfahan, Jalaledine Taheri, who has resigned over the 'chaotic situation' in the country, according to press reports 10 July 2002. Ayatollah Taheri said he cannot 'tolerate the chaos any more' and denounced 'generalised corruption at all levels' of the religious power in Iran, according to the reformist newspaper Nourooz.

TEHRAN, July 18 (AFP) - Prominent Iranian cleric Ayatollah Jalaledin Taheri, whose fiery criticism of the Islamic state sparked nation-wide political tension, called on Iranians to protest Friday against the US, press reports Thursday.

"All Iranians should participate in anti-American protests" to be held Friday nation-wide, the 76-year-old cleric, who is close to moderate President Mohammad Khatami, said in a letter printed in Thursday's reformist press.

In his letter, Taheri also voiced his support for reforms.

"To solve the problems of which I have spoken and that which was said in the leader's response, one should continue on the path of reforms," Taheri said referring to his resignation letter last week and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's response.

©2001 IranMania & AFP
Photo/Atta Kenare
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In his letter, Taheri criticised the Islamic state and its dominant conservative clergy, who accept no authority but that of Khamenei.

Khamenei for his part accepted the resignation while appealing for calm and providing guidelines to fight the nation's woes.

During a speech last week, following Taheri's resignation and anti-clerical attacks, US President George W. Bush urged Tehran to abandon "uncompromising, destructive policies," promising that a reforming, modernizing Iran would have "no better friend" than the United States.

The US president, who earlier this year linked Iran, North Korea and Iraq in an "axis of evil", said the "vast majority" of Iranians had "voted for political and economic reform" in recent presidential, parliamentary and local elections.

©2002 AP
Photo/Kenneth Lambert

In recent days, state media here have been calling for mass protests against the United States on Friday ahead of weekly prayers in response to what it considered "open interference" in the country's internal affairs.

Tehran and Washington severed ties after the 1979 seizure of the US embassy here. Attempts at rapprochement have been dogged by fierce resentment in Iran over US support for Israel.