Regime Supporters Flood Iran Streets, Menace Opposition

LONDON, Dec 30, 2009— -- Hundreds of thousands of government supporters flooded the streets of Iran today in a well orchestrated show of solidarity with the regime. State television showed live pictures of people praising the Supreme Leader Ayotallah Ali Khamanei and calling for the punishment of opposition leaders.

Iran's official news agency carried a report that the leaders of the Green Movement, Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mahdi Karoubi had fled Tehran, fearing for their own safety.

"Two of those who played a major role in igniting tension in Iran following the vote, fled Tehran and went to a northern province because they were scared of people, who demanded their punishment," IRNA reported, without naming the two.

The report was immediately denied by a son of Karoubi. "My father and Mr. Mousavi are in Tehran and IRNA's report is baseless. They are still pursuing the people's demands," Hossein Karoubi told moderate Parlemannews.

ABC News sources also indicate that both leaders are still in Tehran and opponents of the government are dismissing this report as state propaganda designed to denigrate the two who are still contesting President Ahmadinejad's legitimacy as president after this summer's disputed elections.

An earlier rumor that Mousavi's wife, Zahra Rahnavard, had been arrested was also dismissed.

"This is misinformation by the government. They are testing the reaction of the people and they are going to make people afraid," Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Mousavi's unofficial spokesman told ABC News.

Both Mousavi and his wife had earlier today attended the funeral of their nephew, Ali Mousavi, who was killed Sunday during anti-government protests.

According to Makhmalbaf his funeral was held under the close scrutiny of the Revolutionary Guard. The body, which had been removed from hospital by the government, was handed over to the family in the early hours of the morning on the strict proviso that the ceremony would be small and brief.

"They only had half an hour to pray and cry during the funeral. And then at the end of this half an hour they brought Mousavi in. He was there, but just for a short time at the end," Makhmalbaf told ABC News.