Khatami urged to arrest Islamic militants

Pro-democracy students want the full force of the law to be applied to their attackers

One of the largest student groups in Iran has called on President Khatami to arrest Islamic militants responsible for attacking their pro-democracy rally in Tehran yesterday .

The group, Islamic Students Association, said if the government could not guarantee the security of authorised gatherings, its slogan of "the rule of law" was worthless.

The Interior Ministry has expressed its regret over the incident. In a statement, it said it hoped the relevant authorities would hold a thorough investigation.

The BBC's Iranian affairs reporter says that Mr Khatami's inability to deal with militant groups has disappointed his supporters.

Sticks, stones and chains

Monday's violence in Laleh Park was one of the biggest clashes between supporters of the moderate President Khatami and the conservative clerical establishment since he was elected a year ago.

Saturday's election anniversary saw Iranian women marching in support of President Khatami

Several thousand students had gathered to demand that non-clerics and women be allowed to run in elections later this year for the powerful Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for appointing and sacking Iran's supreme leader. Several dozen Islamic militants attacked the students with sticks, stones and chains and riot police were able to quell the disturbance only after several students had been injured.

The students criticised the police for being late in intervening to restore order. They say the rally was permitted by the government and they had postponed it twice to avoid clashes with the militants. Now they've urged the authorities to arrest and prosecute those involved in breaking law and order.

History of violent action

This is not the first time that Islamic militants have used violence against people whom they deem to be against the interests of the Islamic Republic. Two weeks ago they attacked a conference of Iranian surgeons, targeting specifically those who protested against a ruling by parliament to segregate medical care by sex.

It's generally believed that the group responsible for such attacks is Ansar-e Hezbullah. Although it has issued a statement denying any involvement in Monday's incident, observers believe that it's a ploy to escape possible prosecution. They regard themselves as the defenders of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Conservative newspapers openly back the group and regularly interview its leader

Because the group has several open publications and its leaders are known, it's suspected that it has powerful backers in the conservative establishment who are protecting them. It's also been suggested that some conservative organisations are deliberately using violent tactics to overthrow President Khatami.

Students and other supporters of Mr Khatami have repeatedly urged him to curtail the activities of militant groups. But it appears that he is powerless to deal with them. The police force and the judiciary in Iran are both controlled by Ayatollah Khamenei.

If the present situation continues, Mr Khatami will disappoint millions of people who expect him to fulfil his promise of establishing the rule of law. He is also in danger of losing control and being weakened by violence. His backers want immediate action; and Mr Khatami cannot count on their support forever.