The New York Times
 
World Briefing | Middle East

By NAZILA FATHI
Published: June 5, 2008

A government spokesman confirmed that a group of Bahai religious leaders had been arrested, but said that the charges against them related to security and not religion. The spokesman, Gholam Hossein Elham, said the group had “acted against the country’s interests” and had links with Israelis, according to the state-run news agency, IRNA.

Followers of the Bahai faith have been persecuted in Iran since the 1979 revolution. Mr. Elham did not mention the number of people arrested, but Bahai exile groups overseas have said the entire leadership, consisting of seven senior members, was arrested last month and in March.

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