A representative of the order told RFE/RL today that the 80-year-old Tabandeh was released in Tehran after being detained for about 10 hours.
Authorities had earlier called on Tabandeh to leave Gonabad, but Tabandeh had refused to leave his city of birth. In October, 300 security forces surrounded Tabandeh's Gonabad residence in an effort to force him to leave the city.
Pressure on the Gonabadi order has increased over the last year.
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