IRAN: Police disperse crowds demanding release of opposition leaders.
Police in Tehran used tear gas and batons to disperse demonstrators demanding the release of two senior opposition leaders. Several people were arrested in the biggest street clashes in Iran’s capital in more than two weeks. Protesters rallied at several points in Teh ran, chanting “Death to the dictator” and urging authorities to free Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi. The two are are under full-time detention, their families and supporters say.
OMAN: Troops sent to border after days of protests.
Oman deployed troops north of the capital, Muscat, and near the border with the United Arab Emirates following three days of anti-government demonstrations.
TUNISIA: Key opposition figure quits interim government.
Tunisia’s most prominent opposition figure quit the unity government, further destabilizing the interim leadership amid renewed uncertainty about the country’s direction. Nejib Chebbi, who founded the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, resigned because he is not happy with the newly named prime minister and government measures that he says aim to keep him from seeking the presidency.
Meanwhile, an Islamist party banned for more than 20 years was legalized. The Ennahdha party, which was branded a terrorist group by Tunisia’s deposed leader but is considered moderate by scholars, says it will focus on rebuilding and electing a new leader to prepare for upcoming elections.
EGYPT: Leaders again delay reopening of stock exchange.
Officials again delayed the restart of the country’s stock exchange, a move that brokers say could undercut investor confidence in a market many expect to take a hammering as the country struggles to regain footing after massive protests that ousted its longtime president. Exchange officials now say the market will reopen on Sunday to “allow investors to profit from the government’s support to guarantee stability in the bourse.”
SAUDI ARABIA: Stock index dives amid reports of prominent cleric’s arrest, region’s unrest.
Saudi Arabia’s main benchmark stock index took an almost 6.8 percent dive amid unrest in neighboring Persian Gulf countries and reports of the arrest of a prominent Shiite cleric in the Sunni Muslim nation. According to a security official, Tawfiq Al Amer was arrested after delivering a sermon advocating the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
