IRAN: Tear gas, clashes and arrests at anti-government protest in Tehran

Clashes erupted betwen security forces and opposition supporters in the Iranian capital on Tuesday at a rally calling for the release of  Iranian opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi from house arrest, witnesses and media reports said.

According to a Reuters report, the Iranian opposition website Kaleme was saying security forces had fired tear gas at demonstrators at Tuesday's rally and clashed with them.

A witness told Babylon & Beyond that demonstrators were being chased by security forces in the streets and that dozens of people were detained by security forces and hauled into vans in an area north of Tehran's Enghelab square. The witness, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, added that dozens of protesters were seen chanting anti-government slogans, comparing some Iranian authority figures with the deposed Tunisian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Security forces were out in the streets in the central areas of Tehran, the witness said, and police on motorcycles were patrolling some areas in an attempt to intimidate demonstrators.

SahamNews, another Iranian opposition website, reported that large numbers of security personnel had been deployed at squares and main streets in Tehran on Tuesday to thwart opposition gatherings. 

The clashes came a day after opposition websites claimed that the two men and their wives had been moved from house arrest and put in a Tehran prison, which Iranian authorities deny. The semiofficial Iranian Fars News Agency said Mousavi and Karroubi remained under house arrest.

Over the weekend, Mousavi's and Karroubi's websites posted calls for fresh protests Tuesday to demand that Iranian authorities release the opposition leaders from house arrest.

The call was issued by the Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope -- a group backing Mousavi and Karroubi -- and urged "everyone to join a rally from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square" in Tehran "on Tuesday March 1 in order to protest the continuation of the illegal house arrest of the Green Movement leaders."

-- Alexandra Sandels in Beirut

Photo: Iranian opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi, left, and Mehdi Karroubi. Credit: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

 

Comments

[Shadan]

Any movement that tries to get rid of this dirty regime is a good movement, but I pray to the universe that us Iranians won't be left with another corrupt government for the next 30 years or so just because we want this Islamic regime out. We have to be careful this time. It should not become another page in our history that an Islamic leader is its author. Be careful about Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. They are two of the polars of the same Islamic Fundamental that we are tryng to get rid of.

[John]

The dictators will do anything to stay in 'power.' As seen over the past few weeks with Libya, Iran, Sudan and many others the people are rising up against tyrany.

International communication is showing repressed people what they are missing. Twitter, texting and phone video are tearing the borders down around the world.

[Milad]

We(Iranian people)will stay until destroy the Dictator.

[shohreh]

we dont leave our aske , we are ready for die until free day in iran

[Jahan]

Please add that some shooting has been heard in different parts of the city. People chant " death to Khameni". Iranian has been trying hard to get rid of islamic regime during that past years. I hope they can do it

[majid]

Ya Hossein Mir Hussain
We love the Iranian people to have Mir Hussein's life