Tehran, July 28 (DPA) The Iranian government Tuesday once again rejected a request by opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi to hold a memorial ceremony for the victims in recent protest demonstrations, Fars news agency reported.

An interior ministry official said no permission has been issued for any gathering Thursday (July 30).

Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi, the head of the Etemad Melli party, had requested the ministry to allow a simple 90 minute gathering to commemorate the 40th day of the protesters' deaths in a public venue in northern Tehran.

At least 20 demonstrators were killed during demonstrations against alleged fraud in the June 12 presidential election that led to re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The two opposition leaders promised the ministry that there would be no slogans, no speeches but only recitation from the holy Islamic book the Koran.