Iran arrests activists before expected protests

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian authorities have conducted a series of arrests against

alleged opposition activists before expected protest rallies during events to mark the

anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, the country’s top police official said Wednesday.

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI (AP)

The reported raids are part of a broad offensive by Iran’s leadership to intimidate anti-

government demonstrators from trying to disrupt state-backed celebrations Thursday of the 1979

overthrow of the pro-Western monarchy.

Iranian authorities are desperate to show the upper hand on the most important day of th 

nation’s political calendar. But the high-profile events — including a huge gathering in

Tehran’s Azadi Square and other places across Iran — offers a chance for opposition groups to

make another powerful statement of their resolve.

Anti-government Web sites and blogs have called for a major turnout and urged marches to

display green emblems or clothes — the color adopted by the anti-government movement since

June’s disputed presidential election.

The opposition leaders have promised to join street rallies, including the Green movement

founder and former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Iranian officials, however, have warned that any protests will be immediately crushed by

security forces. At least eight people were killed in clashes during the last major opposition

marches in late December.

The Iranian police chief, Gen. Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam, said “a number” of suspected opposition

supporters have been arrested in recent raids.

He gave no further details on the scope or timing of the raids, according to the semiofficial

Fars news agency. But he claimed some of those in custody were involved in planning

demonstrations.

Some rights groups outside Iran have claimed hundreds of people have been detained in sweeps

targeting suspected opposition backers.

The Fars agency — which is linked to Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard — also quoted Iran’s

deputy police chief, Ahmad Reza Radan, as saying that security forces will come down hard on

any displays of dissent.

“We won’t allow any space to seditionists,” he said.

Opposition groups did not appear deterred.

Web sites included detailed instructions on possible protest routes through Tehran and even

offered detailed suggestions such as bringing whistles to drown out pro-government messages on

loudspeakers throughout the city.

“All together let’s keep our identity and join the rally,” said a statement from Mousavi on his

Web site — in an apparent reference to showing the colors of the Green movement.

In recent months, the opposition has built its street protest strategy around days of important

political or religious significance in attempts to embarrass authorities. The tone of the

rallies, however, has shifted from outrage over alleged fraud in President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad’s re-election to wider calls against the entire Islamic system, including Supreme

Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The last large-scale marches — held to coincide with a Shiite holy day in late December —

brought the most violent battles with security riots since shortly after the June 12 election.

In Geneva, a senior U.S. official said he hopes a U.N. debate next week on Iran will include

probes into arrests of opposition leaders and alleged abuses of detainees.

John Limbert, who was among dozens of Americans held captive in Iran in 1979-1980, urged for  

wide-ranging discussion about Iran’s human rights situation by the U.N. Human Rights Council.

People in Iran have been “gassed, arrested, beaten up and shot” since its disputed presidential

election in June, Limbert told reporters. “The U.S. and the international community can bear

witness to what is going on there, and can speak a simple truth.”

Iran’s U.N. mission in Geneva declined to comment on Limbert’s statements.

Associated Press Writer Brian Murphy contributed to this report.