Dozens of people are reported to have been arrested across Iran after violent confrontations¹ between security forces and anti-government demonstrators.

伊朗发生安全保卫部队与反政府游行者之间的暴力冲突，几十人被逮捕。

In the capital Tehran, police and militiamen民兵组织 used batons²警棍 and teargas催泪弹, and witnesses said there had been gunfire.

The protests, led by Iranian students, were over the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and suppression of academic freedom.

It appears to be the most widespread unrest in Iran for months.

Foreign journalists were banned from reporting on the rallies, and the Iranian authorities closed down mobile phone networks and severely³ restricted严格限制 internet access.

The BBC's Jon Leyne says the main objective of the opposition⁴ was to keep their movement alive.

He adds that the government and Mr Ahmadinejad must feel deeply frustrated⁵, as they still have not silenced the protests, six months after claiming victory in the presidential election.

The disputed election led to the largest street protests since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with thousands arrested and dozens killed.

The government then banned protests, so its opponents began using officially sanctioned制裁，处罚 demonstrations⁶ to turn out in big numbers and publicise their message.