27 Dec 2009

Security tight as Shia pilgrims mark religious festival

10:09 pm on 27 December 2009

The political opposition in Iran says hundreds of security forces have fanned out in central Tehran, firing tear gas at opposition supporters rallying during a Shi'ite religious festival.

Hundreds of police, riot police and other security personnel are reportedly in the centre of the Iranian capital to counter the chanting protests of anti government demonstrators.

In various parts of Tehran on Saturday, baton-wielding riot police fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse chanting supporters of the opposition leader.

It is the second straight day that opposition supporters have used the Ashura festival, which culminates on Sunday, to demonstrate against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose re-election they charge was massively rigged.

In another sign that the anti-government protests in Iran were not dying down six months after a disputed 12 June presidential election, clashes also took place in another areas on Saturday, including the central city of Isfahan.

The Norooz website said security forces in Isfahan clashed with mourners of late dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri who died a week ago.

This year's religious holy day of Ashura falls on Sunday, the seventh day of mourning for Montazeri.

In the Shi'ite religion, friends and family traditionally gather to commemorate the deceased a week after their death.

Ashura is one of the main Shi'ite holy days, when the Shi'ite faithful commemorate the slaying of the prophet Mohammad's grandson Hussein in Kerbala in 680 AD.