Iran’s government bans largest pro-reform political party, but its leader vows to press on

Iran bans leading pro-reform political party

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s hard-line government says the country’s largest pro-reform political party has been banned as part of the crackdown on the opposition.

Deputy Interior Minister Solat Mortazavi says the party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, had its authorization to conduct political activity stripped by the judiciary. His comments were reported Monday by the semi-official ISNA news agency.

There was no comment from the judiciary Monday.

The party said it was only barred from holding its annual meeting, which had been scheduled for March 11, and that it had not been outlawed in any court ruling.

A leader of the party vowed to continue to push for democratic reform.