Islamic Republic restricts visits with opposition leaders

MirHosein Mousavi

Norooz website, news outlet for Islamic Iran Participation Front reports that Iranian security forces impeded the reformist group’s former secretary general, Mohammadreza Khatami, from visiting MirHosein Mousavi.

Mohammadreza Khatami was briefly arrested when he tried to pay a visit to the opposition leader on the occasion of Fetre Eid today. Once released after his brief arrest, he was forced to return without visiting the opposition leader, MirHosein Mousavi.

Security forces have been stationed at the ends of the road where Mousavi’s office is located and are preventing people from visiting him at his office.

According to Norooz, a number of the visitors, including Iranian artist, Habib Sadeghi, were arrested in their attempt to meet with Mousavi.

The restrictions on Mousavi visitors have reportedly been in effect since last week.

The home of Mehdi Karroubi, the other disputing candidate of the 2009 presidential elections, has also been under surveillance of security forces and he is also impeded from receiving visitors.

The Islamic Republic government has been intensifying pressure on the two opposition leaders in the past weeks. Mehdi Karroubi’s home was attacked by a group of plain clothes forces for five nights in a row and he was impeded from participating in the Qods Day demonstrations last Friday.