Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said yesterday that he was ready to sacrifice his life in his campaign for reform after the disputed June re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"I am not unwilling to become a martyr like those who made that sacrifice after the election for their rightful national and religious demands," Mr Mousavi said in his first statement on his Kaleme.org website since deadly clashes on Sunday.

"My blood is no redder than theirs," he added.

Mr Mousavi's nephew, Ali, was among at least eight people who died during Sunday's opposition protests during Shiite Muslim rituals for Ashura.

The opposition head's website carried a call from "political prisoners" in Tehran's Evin jail for the public to hold a memorial on Sunday to mourn those who died during the protests.

He called on Mr Ahmadinejad's government to halt its crackdown against his supporters, which saw hundreds of people arrested during last Sunday's demonstrations.

The former prime minister urged the government "to take responsibility for the problems it has created in the country... release political prisoners... and recognise people's right to lawful assembly."

He rejected demands from hardliners for him to renounce his accusations of fraud in the June election in which he was Mr Ahmadinejad's main challenger.

"I clearly and explicitly say that the order to execute, kill or jail (former parliament speaker and pro-reform presidential candidate Mehdi) Mr Karroubi, Mr Mousavi and people like us will not solve anything.

"Supposedly you calmed things down through your arrests, violence, threats and closure of newspapers and other media. What appreciation does that show for the change in public opinion about the Islamic republic?"

Mr Mousavi rejected charges by Mr Ahmadinejad and other officials that he and his supporters were "lackeys" of Iran's Western foes.

"We are neither Americans nor Britons. We have sent no congratulations cards to the leaders of major powers," he said, in mocking allusion to a card the Iranian president sent to Barack Obama on his election as US President in 2008.