TEHRAN, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday called for the punishment of opposition leaders over the unrest following the disputed presidential election.

    "Serious confrontation should be taken against the leaders and key elements. Those who instigated, organized and implemented the enemy's plan should be dealt with firmly," Ahmadinejad told a rally before Friday prayers in Tehran.

    The Iranian president stressed that those "who were deceived and who were lower-ranking elements" should be treated with "Islamic mercy."

    "Don't provide immunity and protection to the key elements and punish the deceived and lower-ranking elements," he added.

    Ahmadinejad did not specify the names of the opposition leaders. But many hard-liner conservatives have called for the arrest of prominent reformist leaders, including defeated presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and former president Mohammad Khatami.

    The Iranian president also said that the attacks on university dormitories and abuses taken place in the detention centers" were parts of the enemy scenarios."

    "The measures were carried out by those associated with the toppling movement," Ahmadinejad said.

    Karroubi has publicly said some protestors detained in the post-election unrest were "raped" by jailors in the detention centers.

    Protests gripped Tehran and other Iranian cities after the June 12 presidential election, amid claims that the vote had been rigged in favor of Ahmadinejad, the incumbent president.

    Iran's state media said about 30 people had been killed in relevant clashes, including some in custody.

    Iran's judiciary has said that 4,000 people were initially arrested by security forces during the unrest after the disputed presidential election and 3,700 of them were released later.