Iran: Opposition leader Karroubi placed under house arrest

Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi placed under house arrest

By Thomas Erdbrink
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, February 10, 2011; 5:15 PM

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TEHRAN - One of Iran's most prominent opposition leaders was placed under house arrest Thursday, with security agents posted at the entrance saying they would stay there until a possible anti-government protest has passed, the cleric's Web site reported.

"Only his wife is being allowed into the house," Sahamnews.org said. "This probably has to do with the protest scheduled for Monday, Feb. 14."

But the measure also appeared intended to prevent Mehdi Karroubi, a former head of parliament who has become highly critical of Iran's leaders, from participating in a state-backed rally Friday to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the country's Islamic revolution.

Last year, Karroubi crashed the official celebrations, together with supporters of the grass-roots Green Movement, triggering minor skirmishes between the opposition activists and security forces.

Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, who both unsuccessfully challenged President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a June 2009 election, sought permission Sunday to hold a rally Monday. In a letter posted on Sahamnews on Sunday, they invited people "to express solidarity with . . . the freedom-seeking revolts of the people of Tunis and Egypt against despotic regimes." Since the unprecedented and deadly anti-government protests after the presidential election, no such permits have been given.

There have been no reports of Mousavi being placed under house arrest.

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ENDS

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