Iran street demonstrations

Despite Teheran being flooded with police and militia yesterday to crush any pro-Egypt marches it feared could turn into anti-government demonstrations, protesters staged anti-government demonstrations under the pretext of rallies supporting Arab uprisings, websites and witnesses said.

In return, riot police fired tear gas and paintballs at the protesters. The security clampdown earlier was similar to the backlash that crushed a wave of protests after the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009. Opposition supporters were heard rom rooftops and balconies yesterday in a sign of defiance toward Iran’s leadership, shouting Allahu Akbar, or God is Great, and chanting Death to Dictator! ­– a slogan used against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after the disputed 2009 Presidential election

Dozens of Iranian opposition supporters were arrested. The reformist website kaleme.com said police put officers in front of the home of leading activists Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Mr Mousavi and fellow opposition leader Mahdi Karroubi have been under house arrest since last week after they asked the government for permission to hold a rally in support of the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Yesterday the opposition renewed its call to supporters to rally, and accused the government of hypocrisy by voicing support for the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings while refusing to allow Iranian political activists to stage a peaceful demonstration.

The uprising in Egypt opened a rare chance for the political gambit by Iran’s opposition.

Several opposition activists and aides to Mr Mousavi and Mr Karroubi have been arrested as part of government efforts to intimidate the opposition and undermine its resolve to hold a rally.