TEHRAN -- Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi here on Monday deplored Sunday statement by 151 MPs, saying it served as a pretext for foreign press and media and enemies of the revolution, Islam and people.

Addressing senior Judiciary officials, Shahroudi said legal channels have been specified for opposition, if any, to any court ruling, IRNA reported.

Any illegal act and move would be a breach of the law and will undermine legal establishments and, under present conditions, will serve the interests of sworn and hostile enemy, i.e. the criminal U.S., he added.

At a time when the U.S. brands Iran as axis of evil, pitting one branch of government against another would be an anti-national move and in favor of the enemies of the country, he added.

He invited factions and groups to unity, saying any blow to national unity of Muslim Iranian nation against the war-mongering policies of the U.S. and its mischiefs in the world of Islam and weakening of the will of the great Iranian nation as well as creating terror and fear in minds of Muslim nation would be a betrayal to Islam, revolution and the people.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Shahroudi criticized the silence of human rights fora in the face of crimes by the Zionist regime and said any freedom-loving citizen has the duty to support the oppressed and Muslim Palestinian nation against the brutal acts of the Zionist regime against the defenseless Palestinian people.

He said no conscience would accept ruining homes, where women, children, the old and young Palestinian people live, as well as incursions into Palestinian cities.

Turning to the new policies of U.S. President George W. Bush and the Zionists against Iran, Shahroudi said enemies try to change solidarity among officials to row and differences so as to implement their 'vile' plans in the atmosphere of discord, to undermine Iran's establishments and to divert public attention from the actions of spies and the fifth column.

Meanwhile, Judiciary spokesman Hossein Mir-Mohammad Sadeqi said MPs' statement is a mere claim raised against certain segments of the establishment.

Sadeqi said the statement surprisingly calls several judicial verdicts as the Judiciary's action against national solidarity, whereas independence of a judge is respected by all legal systems worldwide.

He said under present sensitive conditions, the U.S. politicians are definitely need to have certain sections of the system question the performance of other branches of the system so as to justify themselves to the public opinion both in the U.S. and the world on any impudent move taken against Iran.

Some 151 MPs in a letter on Sunday warned against a series of attempts which they said would lead the country to the 'downhill road to disappointment, pessimism and discontent'.

The letter, read out at the open session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly by member of the presiding body of Majlis Mohammad Naeemipour, regretted the 'surprising' measures, statements and rulings running counter to calls for national concord and unity against foreigners.

It expressed disgust at the closure of 85 publications in a period of three years, a political statement issued by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (irgc), the court ruling against Mohsen Mirdamadi, a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission as well as the sentences issued on 41 members of the Freedom Movement of Iran (FMI).

The letter said that the head and members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Majlis had in talks with the European Parliament members last week tried to convince the European body that criticisms of those in power, freedom of expression and activities of critics within the framework of law are legal and accepted.

It added that fortunately, the MEPs' comments following their departure from Iran showed they were relatively convinced. "However, is there any room for exchange of views and dialogue on the rulings issued on members of the Freedom Movement of Iran?" asked the letter.

Evidently, such methods would be to the advantage of only those who think about toppling the Islamic Republic of Iran's establishment, said the letter, adding that the society is now in pressing need of hope, solidarity and close government-people bonds.

It said an atmosphere, filled with tension and political clashes, would portray a distressing picture for others and would mainly go against national interest.

"We say frankly and sincerely that such policies and methods are leading the country to a downhill road to disappointment and discontent," it concluded.