Opposition leaders call off election anniversary protest

Iranian opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have called off anti-government demonstrations that had been due to take place on the anniversary of last year's disputed presidential election.

RFI

Protests following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election last year resulted in a heavy-handed crackdown that saw dozens killed and hundreds of demonstrators arrested.

In recent weeks both Mousavi and Karroubi have renewed calls for fresh presidential elections but they decided to cancel Saturday's protests since they were still waiting for a permit from the interior ministry. 

"After receiving reports from reformist parties and to protect the lives and properties of the people, we announce that the planned demonstrations would not be organised," the two politicians said in a joint statement posted on Karroubi's website.

In their statement, the two leaders said that authorities “were wrong to believe that with threats, humiliations, lies and arms” they “can suppress the protest movement.”

But they urged people to continue their protests by "other less costly and more effective ways... given the experience of repression during the past year of people whose only crime was to ask for their votes peacefully."

They had earlier pledged in a letter to the interior ministry that it would be a silent demonstration, “with no one carrying any arms”, according to the opposition website Rahesabz.net.

“There will be no statement read out and no speech made”, the website quoted the letter saying.

Ten opposition groups have sought permission to hold a protest on 12 June, a year to the day since Ahmadinejad was re-elected.