TEHRAN The son of a dissident cleric who was once in line to become the nation's supreme leader has called on President Mohammad Khatami on behalf of his imprisoned brother.

Ahmad Montazeri, eldest son of Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, sent Khatami a letter asking for help for his brother said, reportedly jailed for distributing a pamphlet about the 1998 murders of several dissidents, according to the AFP.

But Radio Israel said that Saeed Montazeri had been jailed for publishing his father's memoirs.

Meanwhile, Israel Radio said on 24 December that the Islamic government has closed down Internet site of Ayatollah Montazeri, while on January 1, 2000 it reported that the ayatollah has put a letter on the Internet explaining about his memoir.

Observers believe that Saeed Montazeri has sent some information abroad and this is why his brother is trying to rescue him by claiming that he is sick.