Iran arrests prominent reformist politicians after mass protests

Iran has arrested several prominent reformist figures about a month after mass protests swept the country, Iranian media reported on Monday.

Among those detained was Azar Mansouri, head of a reformist party, along with several other politicians, the reports said. The judiciary-linked Mizan news agency confirmed the arrest of four politicians without naming them, saying they were accused of incitement and spreading false narratives.

Media reports said those detained also included Ebrahim Asgharsadeh, a well-known politician and outspoken critic of Iran's hardline leadership who previously served as a lawmaker and a member of Tehran's city council.

Mohsen Aminzadeh, a former deputy foreign minister under ex-president Mohammad Khatami and a founding member of a reformist party, was also arrested, according to the reports.

Protests erupted in late December over Iran's deepening economic crisis and quickly escalated into nationwide demonstrations against the country's authoritarian rule.

At the height of the unrest, security forces killed thousands of protesters during the nights of January 8 and 9, human rights groups said.

Iranian authorities have rejected that account, instead blaming what they describe as terrorist attacks carried out by mercenaries hired by arch-enemies the United States and Israel.

Several prominent journalists and reformist politicians had publicly criticized the official narrative of the events, exposing them to possible legal action.