Several killed in Iran train derailment: report

TEHRAN: Several people were killed and a number were injured on Saturday when a train travelling from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to Tehran derailed, an official told state-run television's website.

"A train travelling from Mashhad to Tehran was derailed, resulting in the deaths of several people and more people being injured," it quoted Mohammad Reza Kazemi, the governor of Joghatai where the accident occurred, as saying.

Kazemi said the derailment happened near Mashhad, but did not immediately offer further details.

Osama’s daughter free to leave Iran: Mottaki

TEHRAN: Osama bin Laden’s daughter who has taken refuge at the Saudi mission in Tehran is free to leave Iran once her identity is confirmed; Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying.

“A while ago the Saudi embassy here said that one of Osama bin Laden’s daughters is in the compound, so the foreign ministry told the embassy that based on international conventions if her identity is confirmed she can leave Iran with passage documents,” local news agency quoted Mr Mottaki as telling state television.

“We were not able to confirm her identity but the embassy says she is” the daughter of Osama, he added.

Four dead in Iran security forces clashes: website

TEHRAN: Four protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in central Tehran Sunday as the opposition used a Shiite mourning event to stage anti-government protests, an opposition website said.

"Three of our compatriots were martyred and two were injured in clashes. The (website) reporter who was on the scene said these three were directly shot at by military forces," the website reported.

It said the clashes took place near College bridge in the middle of Enghelab street.

Rahesabz said a fourth protester was also killed near Vali Asr intersection on Enghelab.

"The people are carrying the body of this martyr and are shouting slogans," it said citing eyewitnesses.

Several killed in Iran clashes

TEHRAN: Iranian state television confirmed that several people were killed in clashes between pro-regime forces and opposition supporters in Tehran during rituals commemorating one of Shiite Islam's leading figures on Sunday.

"As rioters stepped up provocation and destruction, Imam Hussain mourners
stood against these evil-doings and clashes happened at some spots in the city between the two groups," a foreign news agency reported.

"In these clashes, several people from the two sides were killed and several wounded," it said, without breaking down the casualty toll.

Eight killed in anti-government protests: Iran's Press TV

TEHRAN: Eight people were killed during anti-government protests in Iran, the state-run English language Press TV said on Monday quoting a senior security official.

"An official with Supreme National Security Council told Press TV the death toll from Sunday's unrest in the country has reached eight," the channel said on its website.

It did not specify whether the victims were all killed in Tehran or also in other cities.

Iranian state television earlier gave a contradictory toll of at least 15 killed.

Iran arrests aides to Khatami, Mousavi

TEHRAN: Iran arrested on Monday several aides to reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, an opposition website reported.

Khatami aides "Morteza Haji and (Hasan) Rasooli were arrested," Parleman news said. The two men run Khatami's non-governmental Baran organisation.

"Mousavi advisors Alireza Beheshti, (Ghorban) Behzadian-Nejad and (Mohammad) Bagherian were also arrested in the morning," it added.

The arrests signal an increased crackdown on the opposition.

Over 15 killed in Tehran clashes: state TV

Updated at: 1235 PST, Monday, December 28, 2009
TEHRAN: Iranian state television said on Monday that more than 15 people were killed in riots which rocked Tehran, of whom more than 10 were members of "anti-revolutionary terrorist" groups.

The other five who died during Sunday's fierce clashes in the Iranian capital were killed by "terrorist groups," the report said, without elaborating.

"In a suspicious act, five people were killed by terrorist groups and the ministry of intelligence announced that more than 10 of the known members of anti-revolutionary terrorist groups were killed," the state television website said.

Iranian reformist websites said on Sunday that security forces killed a nephew of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi while police confirmed that five people died during the massive anti-government rallies in Tehran.

Key opposition figure Ebrahim Yazdi, who served as foreign minister at the start of the 1979 Islamic revolution, has been arrested at his home, the Rahesabz website reported on Monday.

Yazdi, secretary general of the outlawed but tolerated Iran Freedom Movement, "was arrested at home and taken to an unknown place early Monday morning by security agents," the website said.

"He was summoned to an intelligence ministry office (last) Monday but did not go," it added, without elaborating.

Three killed in opposition clashes in Iran

AN Iranian opposition website has said three opposition supporters have been killed during clashes with police in central Tehran.

"Three people were killed and two others were injured when police opened fire at protesters," the Jaras website said.

The site had reported shortly before that clashes between opposition supporters and security forces were spreading quickly on the second straight day of protests.

"There are sporadic clashes in different parts of downtown Tehran, including the Khark street ... There is a mass presence of protesters. Their number is increasing."

Security forces had fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, the site said.

Protesters had set a police motorcycle on fire during the clashes, and police blocked streets in the area.

The opposition parties had urged people to take to the streets.

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

Reformist website Norooz said security forces in Isfahan clashed with mourners of late dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri who died aged 87 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.

Asura 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.