Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has defended the country's armed forces after it admitted shooting down a passenger plane by mistake.<br /><br />He said the Revolutionary Guard - the elite unit responsible for the disaster - "maintained the security" of Iran.<br /><br />Widespread protests and criticism from abroad have put growing pressure on Iran over its handling of the incident.<br /><br />But the ayatollah tried to rally support as he led Friday prayers in Tehran for the first time since 2012.
