The website of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, kaleme.com, said that according to "unconfirmed reports, hundreds of protesters were arrested in Tehran." There was no immediate official confirmation. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed the "courage" and "aspirations" of the protesters and called on Iran to follow Egypt's example and "open up."
"We wish the opposition and the brave people in the streets across cities in Iran the same opportunity that they saw their Egyptian counterparts seize in the last week," Clinton told reporters during a visit to the US Congress. "We support the universal rights of the Iranian people. They deserve to have the same rights" as those demanded by Egyptian protesters whose 18 straight days of mass demonstrations prompted long time US ally Hosni Mubarak to step down, she said.
The anti-government demonstrations, held despite a ban on rallies, were the first in Tehran since February 11, 2010, when activists took to the streets to mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution. Opposition website Rahesabz.net said clashes were reported near Tehran University and on the road connecting Azadi Square with Enghelab Square. It said police fired tear gas as protesters chanted "Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein" a slogan from 2009 in support of Mousavi.
Rahesabz.net also reported chanting against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with shouts of "Ben Ali Mubarak, It's your turn Syed Ali!" "Police also barged into buses stuck in traffic on the road (between Azadi Square and Enghelab Square) and beat women passengers to spread fear among passengers," Kaleme.com reported.
Some set fire to rubbish bins while chanting slogans in apparent reference to Ahmadinejad. Mobile phone services were cut and there were power blackouts in areas where the protests were taking place, witnesses said. The authorities earlier surrounded the house of Mousavi to prevent him from attending the rally which regime-backers said was a cover for protests similar to those which shook the foundations of the Islamic republic in 2009.
Fellow opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi has been under de facto house arrest, according to his website Sahamnews.org, while Rahesabz.net reported that former reformist president turned opposition backer Mohammad Khatami's house was also cordoned off. While Iran backed the Arab uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, the interior ministry banned the Monday rally planned by Mousavi and Karroubi. Witnesses and websites said the opposition supporters had initially walked in scattered crowds silently to Azadi Square from across the capital as policemen kept a sharp watch.
Motorbike-borne riot police armed with shotguns, tear gas, batons, paintball guns and fire extinguishers were deployed in key squares to prevent the gatherings. "Some policemen are chasing protesters in order to disperse them," a witness said, describing the scene at Imam Hussein Square where he said there were around 1,000 riot police. More police and Basij militiamen were in Haft-e Tir square, a regular site for anti-government protests in 2009. In London, human rights group Amnesty International condemned the authorities "for breaking up an apparently peaceful march."