Iranian opposition leader begins hunger strike to demand public trial

A leading Iranian opposition leader who has been under house arrest since 2011, has begun a hunger strike in a bid to push the authorities to try him in public. 

Mehdi Karroubi, 79, had been put under 24/7 surveillance six years ago without being put on trial or publicly charged.

The cleric and former speaker of the Iranian parliament ran in the disputed presidential election in 2009 which saw the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. 

The release of Karroubi and another former presidential candidate, Mir Hussein Mousavi, who is also under house arrest, was a major demand by supporters of Hassan Rouhani during his re-election as president. 

Famed for his role in the opposition green movement, Karroubi has been hospitalised a number of times in recent months due to an ongoing heart condition.

Karroubi's son, Mohammed Taghi Karroubi, announced the hunger strike in a Twitter post, saying his father was calling on the security guards stationed to watch over him to be removed and to set a date for a public trial. 

He was taken to hospital again a day after he began his protest. His wife, Fatemeh Karroubi, said that her husband had continued with the hunger strike despite being advised not to by a doctor assigned to him by the intelligence ministry.

His hunger strike puts Rouhani in a tough position as the Iranian president vowed to free both men who were put under house arrest. 

Rouhani has been under pressure by hardliners who have pushed back against his proposals to have three female vice presidents.