Skip to main content
CNN International EditionWorld
The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ON TV
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Protests in Tehran mostly peaceful Saturday night

Reports: Most demonstrators stay in cars, fearing militias

Masked students demonstrate in front of Tehran University.
Masked students demonstrate in front of Tehran University.

Story Tools

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- The Iranian capital braced for a fifth consecutive night of protests Saturday, but the bloody brawl that occurred Friday between armed supporters of the conservative spiritual leadership and university students seeking democratic reform was not repeated, according to news reports and a local journalist.

The Reuters news agency reported that most of the thousands who took to the streets of Tehran stayed in their cars, apparently fearing attack by the hardline militia.

Riot police formed a ring around Tehran University to protect students from the militiamen who stormed dormitories the night before, according to Reuters.

The student news agency ISNA said dozens were injured Friday night and several more are missing.

The Iranian government said Thursday that 80 people were arrested in Wednesday night's protests, but has not commented since then.

The White House, which has been particularly critical of the Iranian government in recent weeks, issued a statement Saturday expressing its "concern" over violence against students it said were "peacefully expressing their views."

"We are alarmed at reports of arrests and provocative actions taken against students by regime forces, and call upon the regime to protect the human rights of the students and to release those who have been arrested," the statement said.

Iranian police stopped pro-clergy militant groups from carrying arms the first three nights of protest. But authorities appear reluctant to stop armed members of the Ansar Hezbollah, a radical Islamist group that confronted the students, free-lance journalist Shirzad Bozorgmehr reported.

Members of the group manhandled protesters -- including women, an act strictly prohibited by the Islamic law of Iran -- and were reported to have raided houses near the Tehran University campus looking for protesters trying to escape them, Bozorgmehr said.

Police block a Tehran street during a protest against the establishment.
Police block a Tehran street during a protest against the establishment.

Ansar Hezbollah's behavior was so severe that other conservative groups, firm supporters of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned the group's actions, saying members would turn people away from Islam.

The youthful protests, calling for changes in government and a liberalization of the Islamic law that dominates Iranian life, have begun late each night with a celebratory atmosphere, but quickly degenerated into street fighting.

In one of the few apparent trouble spots Saturday, about 50 youths threw stones at riot police on a Tehran highway, a witness told Reuters.

No deaths have been reported thus far by either the students or the government.

The protests began earlier this week over a reported plan, backed by the conservative clerics, to privatize the university, but quickly became a general anti-government protest.

Iranian officials have accused the United States of instigating the protests. Since the end of major combat in the Iraq war, the Bush administration has keep a sharp focus on Iran, accusing the Iranians of building nuclear weapons and harboring al Qaeda members.



Reuters contributed to this report.

Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
Iran poll to go to run-off
Top Stories
EU 'crisis' after summit failure
 
 
 
 

CNN US
On CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNN AvantGo CNNtext Ad info Preferences
SEARCH
   The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.