Iran - protests

Death toll rises in Iranian protests

Article published on the 2009-12-28 Latest update 2009-12-28 09:58 TU

Iranian protesters, with their faces covered, shout during fierce clashes in central Tehran December on Sunday
(Photo: Reuters)

More than 15 people have been killed in riots in the Iranian capital Tehran, according to Iranian state television. Police have confirmed that five people died on Sunday, while state-run English-language TV puts the death toll at eight.

Witnesses say that tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday in several cities, with reports of protests continuing Monday.

Witnesses also said that dozens of protesters were wounded in Sunday's anti-government protests and police say more than 300 people were arrested. 

State television said ten of the people killed were members of "anti-revolutionary terrorist" groups and claimed that five others were killed by "terrorist groups". 

There are also unconfirmed reports from the website Parlemannews that a nephew of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, 35-year-old Seyed Ali Mousavi, was killed during anti-government rallies.

Overnight, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Yazdi, was arrested at home by security forces according to the opposition website, Rahesabz. Yazdi is the head of an opposition movement, the Movement for the Liberation of Iran (MLI), which does not have official status but which is tolerated by the authorities.

He had been instructed to present himself at the Ministry for Information last week but did not appear, according to the same website.

The French Foreign Ministry has criticised the police's handling of "simple protesters" and has called for a political solution.