A prominent Iranian Ayatollah has criticised the country's Islamic system for failing to protect its citizens following the killings of a number of writers and opposition figures over recent weeks.

According to the Khordad newspaper, Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardabili, a former head of the judiciary and a prominent Islamic scholar at Qom's theological centre, strongly condemned the killings.

He has also expressed regret that non-clerical scholars were being undermined, which he said did not bode well for the country.