Thousands of Iranian students have been demonstrating in the capital, Tehran, in support of the jailed reformist Abdollah Nouri.

More than 3,000 students assembled outside Tehran University mosque, some waving portraits of Mr Nouri and the Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami.

The rally was called by the Office for Consolidation and Unity, the main reformist student group.

Organisers said they were also demanding a public trial of those responsible for the attack by security forces on a student dormitory last July which triggered the worst unrest in Iran since the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Several students died when security services came down heavily on the protests.

Election plan foiled

Mr Nouri, a close ally of President Khatami, was jailed by the clerical court on charges of spreading anti-Islamic propaganda through his newspaper Khordad, which was also banned.

On Saturday, the same court that convicted Mr Nouri turned down a request by his lawyer, Mohsen Rahami, for his client to be freed temporarily so that he could register as a candidate for next February's parliamentary elections.

Mr Rahami addressed the student demonstrators. He told them he would continue to fight for his client's right to stand in the elections, and strongly criticised the Iranian judicial system.

Students hail Khatami

President Khatami on Sunday told hundreds of student supporters at Tehran's Science and Industry University that they had a right to protest, but stressed that society also needed calm and stability.

He urged them to play an active part in the elections, when reformists hope to end the conservative majority in parliament.

In a question-and-answer session, President Khatami again described as "shameful" July's attack by the security services on students.

"Personally, I am not satisfied with the slowness of the investigation into this case and support it proceeding as quickly as possible," the president said.

However he evaded student pleas for him to intervene to free Mr Nouri.