Dubai TV journalist missing in Tehran riots

A journalist for Dubai TV went missing on Sunday in Tehran, scene of violent clashes between pro-reform protesters and police, a source at the television station said.

"We lost contact with him around midday," the source said, referring to Reda al-Basha, a Syrian national who works for Dubai's state-owned television channel in the Iranian capital.

"We notified the authorities that he's disappeared and is unreachable, but have not had any confirmation yet on whether he's been arrested," the source said. "We are now sure he's not among the dead in the clashes, but are still waiting for the list of detainees to find out if he's been arrested."

Iranian police arrested around 300 people during the anti-government protests in Tehran, state broadcaster IRIB quoted a senior police official as saying.

Five people died in Tehran in Sunday's clashes, Iranian police said. Opposition websites said eight people were killed in Tehran and other cities across Iran when tens of thousands took to the streets during a religious festival.

Foreign media have been banned from reporting directly from opposition demonstrations since the disputed June presidential election. (Reuters)