Iranian reformist leaders are urging authorities to release all those
detained during the unrest that followed the country's disputed
presidential election last month.
The call was issued by defeated presidential candidates Mir Hossein
Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi as well as former president Mohammad Khatami
following a meeting late Monday.
In a joint statement, posted to Mousavi's Web site Tuesday. he three leaders demanded an end to the harsh crackdown imposed by authorities.
Iranian police have detained more than 1,000 reformists, political
activists, journalists, and protesters during demonstrations in the
capital, Tehran.
Officials say most of those arrested have been released.
Opposition supporters say there was widespread fraud in the June 12th
presidential vote. Official results say President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
won by a landslide.
Meanwhile Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has demanded that Iran release a French woman held on charges of spying.
Mr. Sarkozy described the accusations of espionage levied against 23-year old student Clotilde Reiss as "pure fantasy".
French officials say Reiss was detained at Tehran airport last week on
her way home to France after five months of study. Iranian authorities
accuse her of taking part in opposition protests and sending an email
to a friend that contained information on the rallies.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says the charges were related
to pictures of the protests that she took with her mobile phone and
sent via text message.