Iran: Interior Ministry says it will ban pro-Arab uprisings rally

Iran - Arab Maghreb independent press service - An interior ministry official said 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 Fars news agency