Arrest of Iranian opposition leader questioned

The state-run Iranian news agency says the country's Islamic Human Rights Commission has asked the judiciary to explain why the leader of the only tolerated opposition group, Ibrahim Yazdi, has been arrested.

The authorities have not given any reason so far for the arrest -- eight days ago -- of Mr Yazdi, who's a vocal critic of Iran's clerical establishment.

The commission which was set up earlier this year is also reported to be investigating recent protests at cinemas in the cities of Isfahan and Amol which have been showing a film ,The Snowman, which demonstrators considered un-Islamic.

Recent unrest in the city of Qom -- where the home of a dissident cleric, Ayatollah Montazeri, was attacked after he questioned the role of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei -- is also said to be under investigation.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service