Iran bans Mousavi ally from leaving country

Abolfazl Fateh, the head of the political leader's media office, said he has been banned from leaving Iran

Iran has banned an ally of the country's opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi from leaving the Islamic state, the official IRNA news agency has reported. Abolfazl Fateh, the head of Mr Mousavi's media office, said the ban would not change his political stance, adding he was banned from leaving Iran because of his "role" in post-election developments. Mr Fateh had been studying for a doctorate in Britain.

"Such pressures cannot push people like me to change our political stances," Mr Fateh told IRNA. "The imposed ban will not change my political views." The state-run Iran newspaper said Mr Fateh was banned from leaving the country because of his involvement in post-election developments. Mr Mousavi has called for an annulment of the vote because of "election rigging". Iran's top legislative body has said it found no major violations in the June 12 presidential election which it described as the "healthiest" since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but said 10 per cent of ballot boxes would be recounted.

*Reuters