Iranian police have arrested former Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, Iranian news agencies say.

No reason was given for the arrest in the statement released on Tuesday, but the timing suggested it might be linked to Mortazavi’s role as a former judicial official, in a dispute between Ahmadinejad and Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani,Aljazera reported.

Saeed Mortazavi

Having risen from obscurity as a young judge, Mr Mortazavi was instrumental in the mass culling of reformist newspapers during former President Mohammad Khatami’s administration.

He later gained further notoriety for his involvement in the case of Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist who died in custody following her arrest in 2003.

Recently, Mr Mortazavi was accused in connection with the abuse and killing of post-election protesters in the Kahrizak detention centre.

Until January, he was head of Iran’s wealthy social welfare organisation but was removed under pressure from the Majlis – Iran’s parliament.

By UP