TEHRAN: Iranian police warned they would crack down on any unauthorized rallies after opposition leaders again called for demonstrations to mark the anniversary of last June’s disputed presidential election, the ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday.
"Police will cooperate in legal rallies but they will crack down on illegal gatherings on special occasions or on any other day of the year," Tehran police chief Hossein Sajedinia told the news agency.
Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi on Sunday renewed their call for demonstrations on June 12 to mark the first anniversary of the poll which sparked mass protests over allegations that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election was rigged.
The two men are still waiting to see if they get official authorization, Karroubi’s Sahamnews website said on Monday.
Last year’s protests met with a tough response from the authorities and dozens of protesters were killed in clashes with security forces.
Thousands were also taken into custody and scores have been sentenced to heavy jail terms.
The opposition last demonstrated on the anniversary of the 1979 revolution in February but it could not muster significant numbers on the streets and its supporters were overwhelmed by a much larger pro-government rally and volleys of tear gas from the security forces.
Iran’s constitution recognizes the right to peaceful public assembly but the authorities insist groups must apply for a permit from the interior ministry which has banned opposition gatherings.
Foreign media are also forbidden from covering them.
