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TEHRAN: Iran’s opposition leader remained defiant yesterday despite calls from hard-liners for them to be brought to trial and put to death, with one reform advocate saying he was willing to “pay any price” in pursuit of democratic change.

Iran’s beleaguered opposition brought tens of thousands of its supporters into the streets on Monday, ostensibly to display solidarity with Egypt’s anti-government protest movement. It was also a chance for the opposition to put on its first significant show of strength in more than a year, and it set off clashes with police that killed two people and injured dozens. A day later, furious hard-line lawmakers pumped their fists in the air in parliament and called for opposition leaders to be tried and sentenced to death. One of the pro-reform figures, Mahdi Karroubi, was unmoved.