Hundreds of thousands of people throughout Iran have taken to the streets to demonstrate their support for the government. They hold the opposition responsible for the violence at recent anti-government protests.

Eight people were allegedly killed by police during the protests in which opposition supporters demonstrated against the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Today, Ahmad Alamolhoda, a religious leader told a pro-government rally that the leaders of the opposition should show repentance. Otherwise they would be branded enemies of God, the punishment for whom is death under Iran's strict sharia law.

Iran's IRNA state press agency says the leading opposition figures Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have fled Tehran fearing for their lives. However, Mr Karroubi's son has denied the report.

An opposition website for a time said the two men had been taken into protective custody by members of the Revolutionary Guard and Iran's intelligence service.

photo: pro-government demonstrators in Iran (EPA)