possibly more, in prison.

Among the defendants are several prominent reformist opposition activists including former vice president Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, former vice speaker of parliament Behzad Nabavi, former deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh and leader of the biggest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, Mohsen Mirdamadi.

Pictures from the courtroom showed a thin-looking Mr. Abtahi and a grim Mr. Mirdamadi, both in prison uniforms, sitting in the front row. More than a hundred defendants could be seen sitting in the packed courtroom, many of them handcuffed but without prison uniforms.

State media didn't provide further details about the trial, and there was no information on when it would end or when a verdict would be expected.

Iran's former reformist President Mohammad Khatami criticized the country's first trial of activists and protesters following the disputed presidential election as a sham.

A report posted late Saturday on Mr. Khatami’s Web site quoted him as saying the “show” trial will further damage public confidence in the ruling Islamic establishment. He said he hopes the trial “will not lead to ignorance of the real crimes.”