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Iran jails former minister for six years

TEHRAN - An Iranian court has jailed a reformist former deputy foreign minister for six years over his role in unrest that erupted after last year's disputed elections.

ISNA news agency reported yesterday that Mohsen Aminzadeh was one of many leading pro-reform figures detained after the presidential election last June, which plunged the Islamic Republic into turmoil and exposed widening establishment divisions.

He was a prominent supporter of defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi in the poll, which the opposition says was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election.

Opposition websites have urged people to take to the streets again on Thursday, February 11, when Iran marks the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Several other leading opposition supporters earlier received jail terms on charges that included acting against national security.

Thousands of people protesting against the conduct of the vote were arrested. Most of them have since been freed, though more than 80 people have been jailed for terms up to 15 years. - Reuters

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