Iranian authorities bar reformist ex-president from meeting

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – An Iranian opposition news website says authorities have barred former reformist President Mohammad Khatami from attending a meeting of his allies.

The report late Wednesday says security forces arrived at Khatami’s residence in three cars to block him from attending the meeting.

Khatami is still popular among young people, and pro-reform activists and groups regularly meet with him. He supports President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate.

Khatami has occasionally been barred from attending public meetings in the past. In recent weeks, pro-reform lawmakers have asked the Intelligence Ministry to explain the recent restrictions.

Khatami supported opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who lost the 2009 presidential election to hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Allegations of vote-rigging sparked huge protests, leading to a wide-scale crackdown on dissent.

Mousavi has been under house arrest since 2011.