The Iranian authorities arrested reformist figures, including Azar Mansouri, who served as an advisor to former President Mohammad Khatami. They were charged with several charges, including "coordinating with enemy propaganda." After the outbreak of protests in Iran in late December, Mansouri posted on Instagram, “When all ways to make a voice heard are closed, the protest takes to the streets,” adding that “repression is the worst way to deal with protesters.”

Published on: 09/02/2026 - 07:36

Fars News Agency reported on Sunday that the Iranian authorities arrested three reformist figures, including the head of the Reform Front, Azar Mansouri. "The security and judicial institutions arrested Azar Mansouri, Ebrahim Asgharzadeh and Mohsen Aminzadeh," the agency said. Mansouri (60 years old) was a former advisor to former reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

The agency added, "The accusations against these individuals include targeting national unity, taking a position against the constitution, harmonizing with enemy propaganda, promoting surrender... and creating secret sabotage mechanisms."

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the ideological arm of the army, also arrested Jawad Emam, spokesman for the main coalition of the reformist movement, according to local media reported Monday.

According to the reformist Shargh newspaper, as well as the Fars News Agency, “members of the Revolutionary Guard raided Jawad Imam’s house...at dawn on Sunday, and arrested him.”

This comes weeks after a widespread crackdown launched by the authorities against a large protest movement, during which a number of reformist and opposition figures were arrested.

Read also: Iran: The judiciary sentences Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi to six years in prison

The judiciary's Mizan Agency also confirmed on Sunday that a number of political figures had been arrested and charged, without revealing their identities.

The agency said, "After completing investigations into the actions and activities of some important political elements that support the Zionist regime and America, four members of this group were charged with crimes, and the active elements working for the Zionist regime and America were arrested."

“Repression is the worst way to deal with protesters.”

After protests erupted in Iran in late December, Mansouri posted on Instagram: “When all ways to make a voice heard are closed, the protest takes to the streets,” adding that “repression is the worst way to deal with protesters.”

Referring to the killing of thousands of people during the protests, she later said, “We cannot reach the media, but we say to the grieving families: You are not alone.”

Read also: “Nothing but blood and bullet casings.” Exclusive testimony from an Iranian protester

She considered that "no force, no justification, and no time can cleanse this major disaster." Mansouri was arrested after the protests that followed the presidential elections in 2009, and was sentenced to three years in prison for being convicted of several charges, including disturbing public order and propaganda against the state.

In 2022, she was accused of “spreading lies with the intent to harm others and stir up public opinion by publishing content on the Internet,” and was sentenced to one year and two months in prison.

Since June 2023, Mansouri has headed the Reform Front, the main coalition of reformist groups demanding greater social freedoms and an enhanced role for civil society. Ibrahim Asgharzadeh is a former deputy in the Shura Council, while Mohsen Aminzadeh was Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

France 24/AFP

Keywords related to the article

The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.