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Iran's Mousavi loses public post | Iran's Mousavi loses public post |
(21 minutes later) | |
Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has been fired as head of the Arts Institution. | |
The Council for Cultural Revolution, a high-ranking body chaired by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, dismissed him on Tuesday night, state media said. | The Council for Cultural Revolution, a high-ranking body chaired by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, dismissed him on Tuesday night, state media said. |
Mr Mousavi had run the institution, affiliated to the president's office, since its inception 11 years ago. | Mr Mousavi had run the institution, affiliated to the president's office, since its inception 11 years ago. |
In recent days, hardliners have urged Iran's judiciary to put Mr Mosavi on trial for instigating unrest. | In recent days, hardliners have urged Iran's judiciary to put Mr Mosavi on trial for instigating unrest. |
Mr Mousavi came second in the June election, and anger at the result saw mass protests in Tehran and other cities that led to thousands of arrests and some deaths. | |
Mr Mousavi has said the poll, that returned President Ahmadinejad to power, was fraudulent. | |
'Plainclothes men' | |
News of Mr Mousavi's sacking comes a day after his car was reportedly attacked as he travelled back to Tehran from the holy city of Qom, where he had joined tens of thousands for the funeral of a dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri. | |
An earlier report suggested that the Arts Institution job was Mr Mousavi's only public post, but he also remains on the Expediency Council. | |
This is seen a key body within the Iranian politics and at times a forum for reconciling legislation when debate in the legislature becomes deadlocked. |