Editor 's note : Reza Sayah is one of the few Western journalists reporting from Tehran after the Iranian government placed restrictions on coverage . A man in the crowd holds up a photo of Ahmadinejad during Khamenei 's address at Friday prayers . TEHRAN , Iran ( CNN ) -- People in the crowd sang songs of tribute as they waited . When he arrived , they stood and welcomed him in unison : `` Praise be to God and to his prophet , Mohammed . '' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , Iran 's supreme leader for two decades , took the stage during Friday prayers at Tehran University with a few notes on small pieces of paper in his left hand . He leaned on the lectern with his right arm , crippled in an 1981 assassination attempt . He was ready to put an end to a week of unrest . First , a sermon about the dangers of division and disunity , using the language of Islam . Then came secular sentences , decidedly direct . He praised the huge turnout at the polls as a victory for Iran but criticized post-election turmoil as the work of Iran 's enemies -- the United States , Israel and Britain . `` The enemies want to destroy our confidence . They want to create doubt about the election , '' Khamenei said . A full hour passed before he delivered a verdict that supporters of opposition presidential candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi did not want to hear . `` Eleven million votes difference ? '' he asked . `` Sometimes there 's a margin of one hundred thousand or two hundred thousand , or one million , maximum . Then one can doubt , be concerned that there has been some rigging or manipulation . `` But there 's a difference of 11 million votes . How can vote rigging happen ? '' To be clear , he reminded the crowd of the victor at the polls . It was the man sitting in the front row : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . He was the `` the absolute victor , '' Khamenei said . `` If political elites want to ignore or break the law and willy-nilly take wrong measures which are harmful , they will be held accountable for all violence and blood and rioting . '' Few in the crowd were disappointed with the cleric 's words . `` Death to America ! '' the people chanted repeatedly , interrupting Khamenei 's speech . `` Death to Israel . '' Noticeably absent Friday was Moussavi , the man who had sparked Iran 's unrest by calling for a recount of the votes . Absent , too , were Moussavi 's supporters , who did not take to the streets to protest as they had done in previous days . There were no signs and placards on the streets . Or people clamoring for change . The tens of thousands who showed up for Friday prayer were a stark contrast to the demonstrators . They were mostly religious conservatives , supporters of Ahmadinejad . And they had a message for the president 's opponent , though it was not always consistent . Some were conciliatory . `` The nation should come together , '' one said . `` We are all one . '' Others took a hard line : `` They must stop with the demonstrations , otherwise there will be consequences . '' Just what those consequences might be may become apparent Saturday afternoon , when the demonstrators are expected again on the streets of Tehran . But for now , Iran 's supreme leader had issued his warning clearly : Enough is enough .
Ayatollah leader sermonizes about dangers of division and disunity . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad : Post-election turmoil the work of Britain , Israel , Israel . Ayatollah endorses official results showing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected . Crowd repeatedly interrupts him to chant `` Death to Israel '' and `` Death to Israel ''