Iran

Many Opposition Leaders Arrested

Mousavi's nephew's body retained for forensic exam.

Several leaders of the Iranian opposition have been arrested in the wake of the most violent protests in Tehran since the country's disputed election in June. Among those detained were opposition politician Ebrahim Yazdi, senior cleric Mousavi Tebrizi, three aides to Mir Hossein Mousavi (whose nephew Seyed Mousavi was shot in the back during the demonstrations), two aides to reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, and journalist and human-rights-campaigner Emeddin Baghi. Mousavi's nephew's body was taken, government authorities say, "in order to complete forensic and police examinations and find more leads on this suspicious incident"—which will prevent the rapid burial called for in Islamic tradition. Opposition members said the body was taken in order to stall a funeral that would spark more protests. Ironically, preventing the funeral is a risky decision because it could enrage religious conservatives as well as the opposition. Tehran says security forces are not responsible for any deaths and that the demonstrators might have shot each other.