Khamenei declares victory over US 'lies and deceit'

Khamenei slammed as "stupid prejudice" comments by "the disgraced" Bush on the eve of the election in which the US president said the vote ignored the "basic standards of democracy".

"With your solid, collective and glorious presence, once again you defused the conspiracy of your enemy," Khamenei said to Iranians, in a message read out by a state television announcer.

"Your irrational enemy, with a wrong perception to frighten and deceive you, in a statement full of lies and deceit, assaulted the Iranian nation and the Islamic republic.

"You, an alert nation, you enthusiastic and committed youth, you faithful men and women with your legendary and conscious presence have bounced back Bush's insults," said Khamenei.

An estimated 68 percent of the electorate turned out in the election, officials said, to the relief of the authorities who had made clear strong participation was needed to bolster the regime's legitimacy.

The figure was way above the weak turnout in last year's parliamentary elections and came after calls for a boycott from opposition liberals including Nobel Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi.

Khamenei made clear he saw the high turnout as a vote in favour of Iran's 26-year-old theocratic regime.

"Your vote, cast in a free atmosphere with different tastes and various candidates, was a vote for the Islamic republic before anything else, a vote for national independence and for the constitution."

He expressed no preference over the candidates in the election, saying they were all "committed to our ideals."