Some 200 people have gathered outside Iran's Parliament (Majlis) building in central Tehran to protest at the result of the country's presidential election.

Protesters, who had gathered in small groups at a nearby subway station in Baharestan Square, were dispersed by security forces. Another group of about fifty people also converged on another square to the north of the neighborhood.

A heavy presence by the police prevented violence in the area. Traffic was light and the police controlled all the routes to and from the areas surrounding the parliament.

Despite an official ban on any gatherings by the Iranian authorities, opposition rallies were held during the past week in protest at the presidential election results, which declared incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the winner with almost two-thirds of the votes.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mir-Hossein Mousavi's website said the gathering was not called by the defeated presidential contender.

Karroubi had earlier called on the public to attend a Thursday mourning ceremony for those killed in post-election violence in Tehran. However, the website of the National Confidence Party, headed by Karroubi, said on Wednesday that the ceremony would not take place, as organizers were unable to find a proper place for it.

Both the Iranian police and the country's Revolutionary Guards Corps have said they would deal firmly with any 'illegal gatherings'.

The streets of the capital Tehran have been relatively calm over the past three days after days of violent protests claimed 20 lives. Informed sources told Press TV that eight of those killed in Iran's post-election violence were members of the Basij.

AKM/MMN