Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments are seen as a response to demands from Iranian politicians for the release of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi, both under house arrest since 2011.
Khameini's remarks were carried by state TV Monday. Prominent conservative lawmaker Ali Motahari recently said that this June's presidential election brought national reconciliation and demanded that Mousavi and Karroubi be freed.
Hardliners have repeatedly called for the execution of the two leaders but Khamenei's remarks suggest that Iran's ruling system has softened its stance.
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