Defiant protesters amass in Tehran for third day

TEHRAN, Iran Demonstrators on Monday defied a government decree that had declared their rallies illegal and began to gather at Tehran University for a third day of protests.

Supporters of Iran's defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi protest on Sunday.

"They are chanting slogans -- 'Death to the dictator' " -- said a witness who CNN will not identify for safety reasons.

"We are here. We will not leave the scene until our presence is known."

Earlier Monday, Iran's government had rejected a request by opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi to hold a nationwide march to protest the results of the country's presidential election, Iranian media reported. Gallery: Emotions run high after election »

The country's government-funded Press TV was among several media outlets Monday that quoted the Interior Ministry as saying it had declared such a march illegal.

But Moussavi's supporters, in messages on social-networking sites, indicated the rallies would continue with or without the blessing of the administration.

Tens of thousands of people around the world championed them on social-networking Web sites and urged friends to wear green in solidarity.

Official results from Friday's elections had President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winning with more than 62 percent of the vote. Watch report on latest violence in Iran »

But Moussavi, the hardline incumbent's leading opponent, has disputed the results, and his supporters have fought in the streets with police and Ahmadinejad's supporters since the vote.