Tehran - Police used teargas to disperse hundreds of protestors who tried Thursday to gather near Tehran University, sources within student circles said. Witnesses said there were arrests. The renewed demonstrations had been called to mark the 10th anniversary of the 1999 student unrest. The protestors were initially dispersed but regrouped, shouting "Death to Dictator."
A large member of police and anti-riot forces were deployed in all streets leading to the university and nearby Revolution Square in the centre of the capital. They prevented people from congregating, even in small groups, a witness said.
Pedestrians were urged by police using loudspeakers to leave the area and were warned they would be beaten with batons if they did not comply, the witnesses said.
Shots were fired into the air in the university area and other parts of central Tehran, witnesses said.
Several protestors were arrested and driven away near the Tehran univertsity, they added.
According to other witnesses, police numbers were increased and joined by the pro-Ahmadinejad Basij militia on the streets south of the university and Revolution Square.
Most shops in central Tehran were forced to close because of fears of clashes between police and demonstrators, the witnesses said.
The Tehran governor's office had earlier warned that any protest demonstration or gathering would be decisively confronted as the Interior Ministry had not given permission for such meetings.
Iran's opposition groups had planned Thursday to begin a new form of protest demonstration which was supposed to provoke neither police nor supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
In internet messages, opposition supporters - mainly those backing opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi - said they intended to hold silent protests throughout the country on the 10th anniversary of the student protests.
They wanted to gather at various points to make it difficult for both police and the Basij militia to trace them.
Protest organizers called on the people to just silently walk in several districts, make no slogans, not wear anything green which would symbolize their support for Moussavi, and just from time to time show the "V for victory" sign.
Moussavi has several times said that his supporters should continue their protests over alleged election fraud but not violate legal boundaries, in order to prevent further casualties.
According to official statistics, 20 demonstrators and eight pro- Ahmadinejad militia have been killed since the protests which started following the June 12 presidential election.
