[10:06 p.m.] Authorities in Iran sent in regular police to keep order at a demonstration outside the prison where jailed opposition supporters are held. About 100 family and friends of the prisoners gathered in the street to bring in the Persian new year.

More than 200 uniformed security personnel prevented the crowd from gathering in front of the prison. The demonstrators went to a nearby street, lighted scores of candles, and arranged a Haft Sin, the traditional table that's part of the Iranian new year ritual.

With the arrival of the new year, shortly after 9 p.m. local time, the crowd sang Yare Dabestani, a song made popular by Iran's student movement and often heard during anti-government demonstrations.

Security personnel peacefully dispersed the gathering shortly after the singing began.

[3:36 p.m.] A vice president to former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami was released Saturday from Evin Prison so that he can celebrate Norooz, the holiday that marks the first day of spring and the new year, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Hossein Marash, who was arrested Thursday after he was convicted of spreading propaganda against the state, must report back to prison on April 3, IRNA reported.

He is accused of organizing a demonstration outside Evin Prison to protest the jailing of political activists, IRNA reported.

Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said the temporary release of prisoners during the holidays was being carried out for humanitarian reasons, IRNA said.

Marash is a relative of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who served as president from 1989 to 1997 and has been critical of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the hardline president whose re-election last June has been disputed.

Separately, authorities responded Saturday to another demonstration outside the prison by sending in regular police to keep order, sources told CNN. They interpreted the fact that riot police were not dispatched to the scene to mean that the demonstration would be allowed to proceed.

Iran has been wracked by anti-government demonstrations since the disputed presidential vote resulted in Ahmadinejad's re-election.

The government has beefed up security to ensure "order and calm" during the two-week period celebrating Norooz, which began Saturday.

Authorities have stationed 200,000 security personnel across the country, according to Ahmadinejad's official news site.