Iran has rejected a request by defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi to hold a nationwide march on Monday to protest at the disputed election results, the interior ministry said. "No authorisation for a march or gathering has been issued and any kind of gathering or march is illegal," an official with the ministry's public relations department said. "This statement is being issued after a request was made by Mr Mousavi to hold a march." The former premier had submitted a request on Sunday to hold a march to protest the landslide re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a vote on Friday he claims was rigged. Mousavi also lodged a formal appeal on Sunday calling for the result election to be annulled.