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TORONTO — The top Iranian opposition leader warned ahead of the talks between Iran and major powers in Geneva that tougher sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program could hurt the opposition movement more than the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The opposition leader, Mir Hussein Moussavi, whose loss against Mr. Ahmadinejad in the disputed June election led to some of the worst unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution, wrote in a statement that further sanctions would put an inordinate strain on Iranians.

In the statement, published on opposition Web sites on Monday, Mr. Moussavi said foreign countries should refrain from any measures that would harm the Iranian people.

“This is not sanctions against a government,” Mr. Moussavi wrote. “This would impose further pain on a nation that has... >>>