Former Maldivian leader Mohamed Nasheed demanded fresh elections on Friday after, according to him, being forced to resign on Tuesday.

"Fresh elections are our bottom line and we are not relying on the international community for that, we are relying on the people of the Maldives," Nasheed told reporters.

"In absence of [elections] we would have to go out on the streets," he added.

He also criticized the US for recognizing the new administration on Thursday, which is headed by former President Mohammed Waheed Hassan. Nasheed, who says the new government came to power in a coup, has repeatedly called for international support, but no country has so far offered to support him.

India also said it would not intervene, calling the situation an "internal matter" and congratulating Waheed as the new head of state.

A UN envoy arrived on Friday to meet Hassan as well as Nasheed, in an effort to diffuse the tension.

Resignation sparks protests

Nasheed resigned on Tuesday after three weeks of protests against his administration. However, just one day later, the former president said he only stepped down after security forces had threatened him at gunpoint.

In reaction to the change in power, supporters of Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party clashed with security forces in the capital and attacked police stations and government buildings on some of the Maldives' outlying islands.

The situation in the capital was reported to be calm on Friday, which is a public holiday in the Maldives.

On Thursday, a local court issued a warrant for Nasheed's arrest, but so far security forces have made no move to detain him.

The unrest in the country was sparked by the arrest of a senior judge last month. Nasheed's administration refused to release him despite three weeks of mass protests.

ng/msh