Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Oct. 08 Iranian authorities have recently arrested a large number of dissidents in the south-western province of Khuzistan, according to the countrys hard-line Interior Minister. Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Oct. 08 Iranian authorities have recently arrested a large number of dissidents in the south-western province of Khuzistan, according to the countrys hard-line Interior Minister.
A large number of anti-security forces have been arrested over the past few days, Hojjatoleslam Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi said, the semi-official hard-line daily Jomhouri Islami wrote in its edition that will reach the stands on Sunday.
Pour-Mohammadi, speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to introduce Khuzistans new governor, said that he expected social disruptions in the volatile province to drop sharply.
In September, several people were killed during clashes between anti-government demonstrators and State Security Forces (SSF) in the city of Ahwaz.
Ahwaz, provincial capital of Khuzistan, is home to Irans ethnic Arab population and has been a hotbed of anti-government demonstrations.
Dozens of people were reportedly killed in week-long clashes between mainly ethnic Arab protesters and security forces in Ahwaz and several other cities in Khuzistan province in April.
Tehran has accused Britain and Canada of involvement in a series of bombings in the province prior to Irans presidential elections in June.
The strategic area holds much of Irans oilfields.
