Iran protestors clash during funeral

Fresh clashes have broken out between pro and anti government demonstrators in Tehran during the funeral of a student killed in the protests on Monday 14th February. The opposing groups claim the victim to be one of their own, but it is yet unclear which side Sanea Jaleh belonged to. Jaleh was one of two men killed on Monday when thousands of people took to the streets in more than a year.

The clashes, similar to those that have recently swept North Africa and the Middle East, transpired during Jaleh's funeral procession in central Tehran. Police blocked off streets near Tehran University, and only a select number of people could join in the procession.

A report on State-owned channel said: "Students and the people attending the funeral ceremony... have clashed with a limited number of people apparently linked to the sedition [opposition] movement and forced them out by chanting slogans of death to hypocrites." It gave no further details of the injuries.

On Monday, thousands of supporters of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, both currently under house arrest, took to the streets in a bid to voice their frustrations. Shortly after the demonstrations, a number of Iranian MPs have called for the two opposition leaders to be executed.

Responding to the call, Karroubi stated: "I am not afraid of any kind of threat and as a soldier of this great nation for the past almost 50 years, I am ready to pay any price." In a separate statement about the protests, Mousavi said the rally on the 14th February was “a great achievement”.

Sources: BBC News, FT, New York Times, AFP, Aljazeera

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

One shot dead by Iranian security forces during protests

On Monday 14th February, thousands of anti-government protestors took to the streets in Tehran, chanting: "Death to dictators". Reports have emerged that one man was killed during the demonstrations when security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowds.

Iranian human rights activists confirmed the fatality, and said several more people were injured during the clashes. Days ahead of the rally, two Iranian opposition leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, were put under arrest. Speaking from his home in Tehran, Mousavi said the protests showed that the Green Movement, formed to challenge the disputed 2009 election, has secured a “great victory” and was “alive and well” despite a huge government crackdown.

The authorities refused to issue a permit for the demonstrations, speaking about it Moussavi's aide, Amir Arjomand said: “If the government had issued a permit and guaranteed the safety of the people there would certainly have been millions of people out in Tehran and other cities.”

The unrest is a great embarrassment to the Iranian government, who has shown that it will not hesitate to stifle it with deadly force. Breaking an official silence on the events, the semi-official State news agency Fars quotes government sources as saying that the demonstrations had been conducted by “hypocrites, monarchists, hooligans and seditionists” whose leaders were puppets of Britain and the US.

Speaking about events in Iran, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed support for the thousands of people who took part in the protests. She said they deserved to have "the same rights that they saw being played out in Egypt" and that there “needs to be a commitment to open up the political system in Iran”.

Sources: BBC News, New York Times, AP, Sky News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi arrested ahead of rally

Iranian security forces have placed opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi under house arrest, in a bid to prevent him attending a rally in support of Egypt's revolt. Mousavi is one of several opposition figures to have been recently censored; another one, also under house arrest, is Mehdi Karroubi.

A number of opposition factions pledged to take part in the rally, which has been banned by the authorities. Iran's government, however, has been officially supporting Egypt's protests but says the rally is a "political move" by the two opposition leaders.

The country's police blocked the lane leading to Mousavi's house and disconnected his mobile phone and land lines. Last week, the authorities also detained a dozen people close to the opposition leader.

Iran has increased security in Tehran, blocked access to certain internet domains, and has clamped down on several satellite news channels. The government is acting in a bid to suppress any fledgling anti-government movements, last seen in 2009, against the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Opposition supporters, however, revived a tactic from the unrest, shouting "Allahu Akbar," [God is Great], in a sign of defiance toward Iran's leadership.

Sources: BBC News, AP, RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, Trend News Agency

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.

Iran 'vote riggers' must be tried, Mousavi says

Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has called for the trial of those he claimed "committed fraud" in last year's presidential election.

He made the demand in a statement issued on the anniversary of violent protests that followed the vote.

Mr Mousavi also said the police and the military should stay out of politics. He demanded an independent judiciary.

Last week, he urged his supporters not to take to the streets to mark the anniversary to avoid bloodshed.

Scores of people were killed and thousands arrested during the violence that followed the controversial re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on 12 June 2009.

"A fair trial of those who committed the election fraud, tortured and killed protesters must be held," Mr Mousavi said in the statement released on his website Kaleme.com.

'New charter'

Mr Mousavi also announced a "new charter" of policy aims for the opposition movement. He urged authorities to release political prisoners and to lift restrictions on political parties and social movements.

Last week, Mr Mousavi and his reformist ally Mehdi Karroubi called off mass protests planned for the one-year anniversary of President Ahmadinejad's re-election, saying they did not want to cause the loss of innocent lives.

Only sporadic demonstrations in Tehran and other Iranian cities were reported, amid a massive security presence and warnings from the intelligence ministry that protesters would be "charged as criminals" for "any illegal action and contact with the foreign media".

Mr Mousavi has repeatedly vowed to continue his struggle against the government, even saying he is not afraid to die for the cause of reform.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran please see Iran Strategic Focus.