TEHRAN, — A famous Iranian reformist figure who became minister during the reign of former President Mohammad Khatami denied the report that he was arrested, ILNA news agency reported on Friday (01/07/2011).

Reformist news websites and the opposition say, Morteza Haji, minister of education during the first period of Khatami's government in 1997-2005, was arrested Wednesday night and taken to Tehran's Evin prison in what was apparently the final step to crack down on opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, ILNA said they had spoken to Hajj and he denied the report. "A reporter ILNA in phone contact with her received an explanation that the news was not true and denies Hajj," the semi-official news agency said it.

The officials could not be reached for comment on the matter. Iran hit by major upheaval after the June 2009 presidential election in dispute. Hundreds of reformists were arrested and prosecuted in a crackdown against pro-reform opposition after the presidential election, which was followed by the biggest riot in the period of 31 years.

Two of the defeated presidential candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, former chairman of the reformist wing of parliament, insisted that the June election was fraudulent for the seat again Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power.

Although no explicit prohibition of protest and repression by security forces, opposition supporters repeatedly utilize public events to take to the streets. Eight people were killed and hundreds of opposition supporters were arrested during the demonstration on December 27, 2009 when thousands of opposition supporters make such a parade.

A number of senior reformers, activists, journalists who were arrested after the June election was rumored to still be in jail and some have been brought to trial on charges of fomenting unrest in the streets. The opposition denounced the trial.

Including those on trial are employees of the British embassy and the French and a French woman who became an assistant university lecturer. So far a number of people have been sentenced to death and dozens of people were sentenced to 15 years.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned the protests after the presidential election and gave unconditional support to Mr Ahmadinejad and announced that the election was legitimate despite a number of parties questioned. Hardline faction in Iran has accused opposition supporters, who took to the streets to protest Ahmadinejad's re-election as president, supported and directed by Western powers, particularly America and Britain.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has brought Iran into the conflict with the West during the first four years in power by the slogans of anti-Israel and the attitude of insubordination regarding his country's nuclear program. He was declared the winner by gaining 63 percent of votes in the election. Iranian leaders have condemned the "interference" Western countries, especially the U.S. and the UK. They accused the foreign media, which has faced strict restrictions on their work, has been fomenting unrest in Iran.

A number of Iranian officials say as many as 36 people were killed during the unrest, but opposition sources say the number of deaths 72 people.