Iran will not allow 'illegal' opposition rally

TEHRAN: An interior ministry official said on Saturday Iran will not allow the opposition to hold a rally in support of Arab uprisings which regime backers believe to be a ploy for fresh anti-government protests.

Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi had sought ministry permission to stage a rally on Monday which they said was to show solidarity with the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

"These elements are fully aware of the illegal nature of the request. They know they will not be granted permission for riots," Mehdi Alikhani Sadr, a senior official at the ministry's political bureau, told a news agency.

Permission for "riots by seditionists" will not be given, he said, referring to opposition leaders blamed by regime officials for widespread unrest after the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.

Backers of Iran's Islamic regime say the opposition leaders intend to use the rally to stage anti-government demonstrations, similar to those in 2009.

The post-election protests left dozens of people dead, hundreds wounded and thousands arrested in a huge security crackdown on demonstrators.

Although Tehran is not permitting the opposition movement to hold a rally, it has come out in support of the demonstrations in Arab nations.

Ahmadinejad himself said on Friday it was the "right" of Egyptians to protest against US ally Hosni Mubarak, just hours before the Egyptian strongman stepped down. (Reuters)