Iran police chief: raids target anti-government protesters before expected rallies

Iran: activists arrested before expected protests

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s top police official says authorities have made a series of arrests of suspected opposition activists before expected protest rallies Thursday.

Gen. Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam says people accused of planning demonstrations were among those arrested. But Moghaddam (Mo-GHA-dam) did not give any specific figures Wednesday on the number of arrests, according to the semiofficial Fars news agency.

Iranian officials are vowing to crush any anti-government rallies Thursday that could mar state-backed celebrations for the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But opposition Web sites are appealing for a large turnout.

At least eight people were killed in clashes during the last major anti-government marches in late December.