Iranian authorities arrest opposition leader Mousavi’s daughters – reportFebruary 11, 2013 - 16:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian authorities on Monday, February 11 detained two daughters of leading opposition figure Mirhossein Mousavi, a former presidential candidate held under house arrest for nearly two years, an opposition-linked website reported, according to Reuters. Mousavi stood in presidential elections in 2009 and was a figurehead of the big street protests over allegations of vote rigging that followed. He is held under house arrest with his wife Zahra Rahnavard. The Islamic Republic is gearing up for another presidential vote in June and hardline figures have accused opposition forces of plotting a second "sedition" - referring to the last protests that were crushed by security forces. Security forces went to the home of the couple's daughters Narges and Zahra on Monday morning and detained them, according to Kaleme, an opposition website close to Mousavi. It did not say where they were taken. The couple have one other daughter and the three sisters wrote in a statement last month that authorities had denied Mousavi and Rahnavard contact with their children for weeks. Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, another opposition figure, were detained after they called their supporters onto the streets for a rally in support of uprisings in the Arab world in February 2011. Hardliners have asked the judiciary to execute both men, but authorities have so far chosen to isolate rather than officially arrest them. Mousavi, 70, Iran's prime minister in the 1980s, was treated for a heart problem in hospital in August, one of his former senior advisors told Reuters. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |