Since February 2011, Iranian opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi, his wife Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi have been effectively under house arrest with virtually zero access to the outside world. The punishment without trial came after Mousavi and Karroubi, two of the defeated candidates in the country's 2009 presidential elections, leveled accusations of vote rigging and called for public protests. Supported by a large majority of disillusioned voters, the two continued their unyielding defiance as the protests led to hundreds of deaths and left thousands behind bars.

Ever since the three were placed under house arrest, Iran's Reformist figures have been pushing for their release or at least some easing of the restrictions imposed on them. The debate was renewed Dec. 9 after a top adviser to President Hassan Rouhani said their release was just around the corner. Hesamoddin Ashna told a gathering of students in Tehran there is "only one last hurdle to be removed."

In a strongly worded statement, Kaleme, a website affiliated with Mousavi and his wife, denied the claim, stressing that the three are still continuously guarded behind barred windows and locked doors.

Karroubi's son was even more pessimistic. "I have to make it clear that the house arrests will never be lifted," said Hossein Karroubi, lamenting that the problem "has never been seriously followed up by the authorities."