Tehran  - Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Monday endorsed the second term of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after an election the opposition charged was fraudulent, the ISNA news agency reported.

Khamenei's official approval, given at a ceremony, came ahead of Ahmadinejad's swearing-in Wednesday in parliament. He then has two weeks to introduce his new cabinet to parliament for approval.

According to reports on opposition websites, demonstrations were planned later Monday in central Tehran against Ahmadinejad's endorsement following the June 12 election. (dpa)