Iran forces fire teargas to disperse opposition backers

TEHRAN Iranian security forces fired teargas to disperse anti-government protesters in Tehran on Tuesday, the opposition website Kaleme reported.

The authorities, seeking to avoid revival of the mass anti-government rallies that erupted after the disputed 2009 presidential vote, had warned against any "illegal" gatherings by the opposition after websites called for rallies on Tuesday.

"Several teargas (canisters) were fired by the security forces in the Enqelab (revolution) square to disperse protesters," said Kaleme, opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi's website.

The government denies opposition websites' reports of the house arrest of Mousavi and another opposition leader, Mehdi Karoubi.

Kaleme website said earlier that hundreds of members of the security forces had been deployed in Tehran streets to prevent any opposition rally.