Iran approves release of 2 opposition leaders

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council yesterday approved a decision to lift a seven year house arrest imposed on reformist opposition leaders, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, a family member said.

“I have heard that the Supreme National Security Council has approved the decision to lift the house arrest,” Hossein Karroubi, son of Mehdi Karroubi, told the Kalameh news website. “The decision will be submitted to Supreme Leader,  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ten days to make his decision,” he added.

Iranian opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi

The men had been arrested in 2009 for allegedly leading mass anti-government protests.

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There were no official reports of the decision, but Iranian officials have been seeking to unite with reformists and conservatives against mounting pressure from the United States and a worsening economic situation.

Mousavi, 76, and Karroubi, 80, were candidates in the 2009 election, which was won by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They are thought to be behind mass protests against Ahmadinejad’s re-election due to widespread fraud.

In February 2011, the two men were placed under house arrest without charge. President Hassan Rouhani, who succeeded Ahmadinejad in 2013, promised to do all he could to end their detention.