Iranian opposition plans new protests on revolution anniversary

Opposition groups plan to take advantage of official rallies marking the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution to renew protests against the government, political websites reported Wednesday.

The official rallies are to be held nationwide Thursday and were expected to draw millions of people. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to be the main speaker at the ceremony in Tehran's Azadi Square, DPA reported.

Police warned that they would decisively confront any protests.

Police chief Ismaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam told the Fars news agency that some of the planners of Thursday's protests had already been arrested but gave no details.

During protests in December, at least eight people were killed and 300 arrested. The opposition said more than 900 people were arrested.

Opposition websites claimed that 3 million opposition supporters would demonstrate Thursday, especially sympathizers of the Green Movement, led by Mir-Hossein Moussavi, who ran unsuccessfully against Ahmadinejad in June's presidential election.

The international media is banned from directly covering the protests and is to only be allowed in Azadi Square for Ahmadinejad's speech.

Widespread protests started immediately after the June 12 election, which was tainted by charges of massive fraud and the opposition's refusal to recognize Ahmadinejad's victory.

Several reformist officials were arrested after the election and sentenced to heavy jail terms for having allegedly planned to topple the Islamic establishment.

The latest case was former industries minister Behzad Nabavi, who was sentenced to five years in prison. Nabavi served under former prime minister Moussavi from 1985 to 1989.