Opposition supporters clash with police in Tehran

Hundreds of protesters have clashed with police on the streets of Tehran. Opposition supporters were out demonstrating against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Opposition leader, Mehdi Karoubi, joined the protesters. Karoubi and the other opposition leader, Mirhossein Mousavi, had urged their supporters to turn out, to show their anger.

However, people were warned to stay away by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the allied Basij militia. When protesters turned up shouting “death to the dictator”, security forces were ready for them.

Police used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. There are unconfirmed reports that shots were fired and five people arrested.

The crackdown showed no compromise from the government, which is divided over reform in the clerical leadership.

The event was an anti-American, official rally to mark the 30th anniversary of the storming of the US embassy. But people are still angry at Ahmadinejad’s disputed presidential election victory in June – in which authorities denied vote-rigging. Turmoil after the election in June was the worst in the three decades since the revolution.

Copyright © 2009 euronews

tags: Clashes, Crisis, Iran