According to state media, hundreds of thousands of people attended the state-run annual Quds Day rallies in Tehran and other parts of the country.

Thousands of opposition supporters availed themselves of the anti-Israeli rally to renew their protests against Ahmadinejad despite heavy deployment of police and security in downtown Tehran.

According to witnesses, the Green Movement supporting opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi - green being the colour symbolising protest and the need for political change - attended the rallies.

Criticising the government's Middle East policies, they shouted, 'Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, our lives only get sacrificed for Iran.'

They also shouted, 'Death to the dictator,' 'Freedom, freedom,' and 'Don't be afraid; we are all together.'

Opposition supporters said there had been clashes with police and posted pictures of injured protestors on the internet.

Reports of arrests could not be verified because reporters were not granted access to all demonstration venues.

Opposition websites also reported that former president Mohammad Khatami was physically assaulted by pro-Ahmadinejad supporters.

Mehdi Karroubi, the leader of the Etemad Melli opposition party, took part in the rallies. It remained unclear whether Moussavi was present.

Friday's protests were the first since mid-July by the opposition, which accused the government of fraud in the June 12 election, which led to a second term for Ahmadinejad.