Khamenei snubs Iranian president

Iran is having its coldest weather in years and parliament had ratified a law to release extra funds to supply gas to rural areas undergoing shortages.

But Mahmoud Ahmadinejad refused to implement it, prompting the speaker to appeal to the supreme leader.

A BBC correspondent says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's action is a rare public humiliation for President Ahmadinejad.

Jon Leyne in Tehran says President Ahmadinejad has come in for growing criticism over his handling of the crisis.

The main problem has been shortage of gas, which has led to gas pressure being lowered, or supplies cut off altogether in some places.

The supreme leader agreed that the law should be implemented and his letter ordering that it should was read out in the parliament.

Threat of war

About 64 people are reported to have died and tens of thousands have been stranded by severe blizzards.

The temperature has fallen as low as -24C and for the first time in living memory there has been snow in the country's southern deserts.

Critics of the president have become more vocal as the threat of war with the US or Israel over Iran's nuclear activities appears to have receded.

The political battle is heating up with parliamentary elections in two months, our correspondent says.