Iranian reformist: 'I will not recognize the legitimacy of the government'

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) - Mehdi Karrubi, a reformist candidate in this month's disputed presidential election, said Wednesday he refuses to recognize President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government.

His statement prompted Iran's government to block his party's newspaper, which published the letter.

Meanwhile, questions surrounded an announcement in government-run Iranian media that Ahmadinejad canceled his trip to Libya on Wednesday for undisclosed reasons.

Karrubi's letter was still available in Farsi on the party newspaper's Web site.  Karrubi called the actions of the government both before and after the controversial June 12 voting  "the foundation for the annulment of the elections."

"I will not recognize the legitimacy of the government which has resulted from this process," Karrubi said in the letter.

The 72-year-old cleric also said he "will not participate in any of its processes, in any way" and vowed to "stand by the people and the revolution, until the end of my life."

Karrubi's party, Etemed Melli, said Iran's Ministry of Culture and its Attorney General prevented the publication of its newspaper because it carried the letter.