In recent days Seyed Ali Mousavi, the nephew of Iran’s opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, had apparently received several death threats and his family were concerned for his safety.

On Sunday their worst fears were realised when, as huge demonstrations engulfed Tehran, Mr Mousavi saw a 4x4 vehicle smash through a crowd near his home, according to Mohsen Makhmalbaf, an Iranian film director who speaks for the opposition from his exile in Paris.

The vehicle’s five occupants got out. One approached Mr Mousavi and shot him in his chest. The men then sped away. Mr Mousavi was dead before he reached hospital. He had a daughter, 17 and a son, 7.

Mr Makhmalbaf’s story cannot be independently confirmed. Another account suggested that Mr Mousavi was shot by a sniper. Either way, there was considerable speculation in Tehran yesterday that he was not a random victim of Sunday’s violence but specifically targeted in an attempt by the regime to silence his uncle.

“I know that the regime keeps track of the movements of the relatives of the leading opposition members. My guess is that they knew where he was and decided to get him,” a senior opposition activist told The Times.

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