As authorities fulminated against protesters backing defeated presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi, moderate former president Mohammad Khatami signaled increased opposition among pro-reform clerics to Iran's conservative leadership. "Preventing people from expressing their demands through civil ways will have dangerous consequences," Khatami, a Mousavi ally, said in a statement, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. His comment, implying criticism of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has backed a ban on protests and defended the outcome of the election, found an echo with Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the most senior dissident cleric. "Resisting people's demand is religiously prohibited," said Montazeri, an architect of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution who fell out with the present leadership and has been under house arrest for some years. In a statement on his website, Montazeri called for three days of national mourning for those killed.
As authorities fulminated against protesters backing defeated presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi, moderate former president Mohammad Khatami signaled increased opposition among pro-reform clerics to Iran's conservative leadership.
"Preventing people from expressing their demands through civil ways will have dangerous consequences," Khatami, a Mousavi ally, said in a statement, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
His comment, implying criticism of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has backed a ban on protests and defended the outcome of the election, found an echo with Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the most senior dissident cleric.
"Resisting people's demand is religiously prohibited," said Montazeri, an architect of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution who fell out with the present leadership and has been under house arrest for some years.
In a statement on his website, Montazeri called for three days of national mourning for those killed.
At least 10 people were killed when police clashed with "terrorists" in Tehran on Saturday, state TV says.The official reports, which cannot be confirmed, accuse "rioters" of setting two petrol stations and a mosque ablaze in protest at a disputed poll result. State media also say five family members of one of Iran's most powerful figures, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, were arrested during the protests. Meanwhile Iran has ordered the BBC's Jon Leyne out of the country.
At least 10 people were killed when police clashed with "terrorists" in Tehran on Saturday, state TV says.
The official reports, which cannot be confirmed, accuse "rioters" of setting two petrol stations and a mosque ablaze in protest at a disputed poll result.
State media also say five family members of one of Iran's most powerful figures, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, were arrested during the protests.
Meanwhile Iran has ordered the BBC's Jon Leyne out of the country.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Sunday that Tehran is falsely accusing the UK of fuelling the election protests in Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian state media announced that the country has expelled BBC correspondent Jon Leyne.Miliband released the statement after Iran accused Britain of sabotaging the presidential election."I reject categorically the idea that the protesters in Iran are manipulated or motivated by foreign countries," Miliband said in a statement."The UK is categorical that it is for the Iranian people to choose their government and for the Iranian authorities to ensure the fairness of the result and the protection of their own people," he also wrote.
Miliband released the statement after Iran accused Britain of sabotaging the presidential election.
"I reject categorically the idea that the protesters in Iran are manipulated or motivated by foreign countries," Miliband said in a statement.
"The UK is categorical that it is for the Iranian people to choose their government and for the Iranian authorities to ensure the fairness of the result and the protection of their own people," he also wrote.
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the United States and Britain on Sunday to stop interfering in the Islamic Republic's internal affairs after its June 12 presidential election, the ISNA news agency said. Many Western countries and rights groups have criticized the election, which was won by Ahmadinejad according to official figures, and its aftermath. His main opponent Mirhossein Mousavi says the vote was rigged. The government denies the charge. "Definitely by hasty remarks you will not be placed in the circle of friendship with the Iranian nation. Therefore I advise you to correct your interfering stances," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying in a meeting with clerics and scholars. Ahmadinejad, who often rails against the West, was directing his remark at U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, ISNA said. Obama, who has been trying to mend ties with Iran since taking office in January, has urged Tehran to "stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people." Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a statement, "I reject categorically the idea that the protesters in Iran are manipulated or motivated by foreign countries." German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Iranian leadership must allow peaceful protests and recount votes.
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the United States and Britain on Sunday to stop interfering in the Islamic Republic's internal affairs after its June 12 presidential election, the ISNA news agency said.
Many Western countries and rights groups have criticized the election, which was won by Ahmadinejad according to official figures, and its aftermath. His main opponent Mirhossein Mousavi says the vote was rigged. The government denies the charge.
"Definitely by hasty remarks you will not be placed in the circle of friendship with the Iranian nation. Therefore I advise you to correct your interfering stances," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying in a meeting with clerics and scholars.
Ahmadinejad, who often rails against the West, was directing his remark at U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, ISNA said.
Obama, who has been trying to mend ties with Iran since taking office in January, has urged Tehran to "stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people."
Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a statement, "I reject categorically the idea that the protesters in Iran are manipulated or motivated by foreign countries."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Iranian leadership must allow peaceful protests and recount votes.
WASHINGTON -- Key Republicans on Sunday urged President Barack Obama to do more to support protesters in Iran who have been clashing with security forces there over election results, underscoring the challenge the president faces in trying to strike the right balance in addressing fast-moving events in the Mideast country. "The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it," said Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.), on ABC's "This Week," adding that Mr. Obama was being "timid and passive." Under criticism at home and abroad over his approach to the Iran protests, Mr. Obama kept administration officials off the Sunday morning talk shows, according to White House officials. Instead, he relied on Democratic surrogates from Congress, they said. Sens. Robert Casey (D., Pa.) and Evan Bayh (D., Ind.) defended the president's cautious approach on Iran, saying he was striking a difficult balance by expressing sympathy for the protesters while not giving weight to Teheran's claims that the protests were being orchestrated by Washington and Europe.
WASHINGTON -- Key Republicans on Sunday urged President Barack Obama to do more to support protesters in Iran who have been clashing with security forces there over election results, underscoring the challenge the president faces in trying to strike the right balance in addressing fast-moving events in the Mideast country.
"The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it," said Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.), on ABC's "This Week," adding that Mr. Obama was being "timid and passive."
Under criticism at home and abroad over his approach to the Iran protests, Mr. Obama kept administration officials off the Sunday morning talk shows, according to White House officials. Instead, he relied on Democratic surrogates from Congress, they said. Sens. Robert Casey (D., Pa.) and Evan Bayh (D., Ind.) defended the president's cautious approach on Iran, saying he was striking a difficult balance by expressing sympathy for the protesters while not giving weight to Teheran's claims that the protests were being orchestrated by Washington and Europe.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he would not second-guess U.S. President Barack Obama's approach on Iran, following the Tehran government's political crackdown. In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press, Netanyahu said that the world was sympathetic to the Iranians protesting the recent contested election, but added it was unclear whether the unrest would spur change in Tehran's policies. "I have no doubt everybody in the world is sympathetic to the Iranians' desire for freedom," Netanyahu said on NBC's "Meet the Press" when asked about the street demonstrations that have erupted in Iran since the disputed June 12 election.
This is just for internal consumption. Ahmadinejad's allegations of foreign interference are not going to impress anyone abroad (except possibly Hugo Chavez) but they will whip up patriotic fervour and paranoid delusion among those faithful to him and Khamenei, which is all that matters at this point. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds; a man of deeds and not of words is like a garden full of turds — Anonymous
PARIS (Reuters) - Tensions in Iran have added to risks facing the world economy and underline the need for strengthening the global financial system, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Sunday. "Any additional geo-strategic tension is obviously an extra risk for the international economy," he told Europe 1 radio. The unrest over Iran's disputed election could hurt investor confidence, he said. "What's happened is very recent so there hasn't been any impact on the international economy yet but it's obviously a risk factor," Trichet said. "You can talk about Iran as part of a wider analysis that would be associated with risks for the oil markets, not just because of Iran but because of the whole region," he added. "We have to live with these risks and reinforce the solidity of the international economy, reinforce the solidity of international finance and so I think it's an additional argument for moving quickly," he said. "We shouldn't dramatise things. We should follow what is happening with a lot of attention, be as responsible as possible and reinforce the solidity of the international system."
PARIS (Reuters) - Tensions in Iran have added to risks facing the world economy and underline the need for strengthening the global financial system, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Sunday. "Any additional geo-strategic tension is obviously an extra risk for the international economy," he told Europe 1 radio. The unrest over Iran's disputed election could hurt investor confidence, he said.
"What's happened is very recent so there hasn't been any impact on the international economy yet but it's obviously a risk factor," Trichet said.
"You can talk about Iran as part of a wider analysis that would be associated with risks for the oil markets, not just because of Iran but because of the whole region," he added.
"We have to live with these risks and reinforce the solidity of the international economy, reinforce the solidity of international finance and so I think it's an additional argument for moving quickly," he said.
"We shouldn't dramatise things. We should follow what is happening with a lot of attention, be as responsible as possible and reinforce the solidity of the international system."
Religious leaders are considering an alternative to the supreme leader structure after at least 13 people were killed in the latest unrest to shake Tehran and family members of Ayatollah Rafsanjani were arrested amid calls by former President Mohammad Khatami for the release of all protesters. Iran's religious clerks in Qom and members of the Assembly of Experts, headed by former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, are mulling the formation of an alternative collective leadership to replace that of the supreme leader, sources in Qom told Al Arabiya on condition of anonymity.
Iran's religious clerks in Qom and members of the Assembly of Experts, headed by former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, are mulling the formation of an alternative collective leadership to replace that of the supreme leader, sources in Qom told Al Arabiya on condition of anonymity.
The Dubai-based television channel Al Arabiya said on Sunday that its Tehran bureau has been ordered to remain closed indefinitely for "unfair reporting" of last week's disputed presidential election. "The authorities accuse Al Arabiya of diffusing news that is not necessarily fair from their point of view," said channel's executive news manager, Nabil al-Khatib, adding that the channel had not done anything that was in violation of Iranian law and had appealed to the government about what it saw as a campaign against the station in the official Iranian media.
"The authorities accuse Al Arabiya of diffusing news that is not necessarily fair from their point of view," said channel's executive news manager, Nabil al-Khatib, adding that the channel had not done anything that was in violation of Iranian law and had appealed to the government about what it saw as a campaign against the station in the official Iranian media.
headed by former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad
Iran's Guardian Council has revealed that the number of votes cast in 50 Iranian cities exceeded the number of people entitled to vote. According to the Iranian media, the additional votes "could be over 3 million and the council could at the request of the candidates re-count the affected ballot boxes."
ZAGREB, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao's just concluded three-nation tour is "very successful" in enhancing friendship, boosting cooperation and promoting common development with relevant countries, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Saturday. During the tour from June 14 to June 20, President Hu attended the ninth annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the first BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and paid state visits to Russia, Slovakia and Croatia. Hu's tour took place amid the complicated and changing international situation, while the global financial crisis continues to spread, regional security faces new challenges, and various countries share stronger will to deepen cooperation and promote development, Yang said. The tour was a significant diplomatic move taken by China to develop relations with neighboring countries, major developing countries as well as Central and Eastern European countries, said Yang.
ZAGREB, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao's just concluded three-nation tour is "very successful" in enhancing friendship, boosting cooperation and promoting common development with relevant countries, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Saturday.
During the tour from June 14 to June 20, President Hu attended the ninth annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the first BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and paid state visits to Russia, Slovakia and Croatia.
Hu's tour took place amid the complicated and changing international situation, while the global financial crisis continues to spread, regional security faces new challenges, and various countries share stronger will to deepen cooperation and promote development, Yang said.
The tour was a significant diplomatic move taken by China to develop relations with neighboring countries, major developing countries as well as Central and Eastern European countries, said Yang.
RAMALLAH, Jun 20 (IPS) - Forty international aid agencies and NGOs have released a joint statement condemning Israel's blockade of Gaza, to mark the second anniversary of the coastal territory being hermetically sealed off from the outside world."We, United Nations and non-governmental humanitarian organisations, express deepening concern over Israel's continued blockade of the Gaza Strip which has now been in force for two years. "These indiscriminate sanctions are affecting the entire 1.5 million population of Gaza, and ordinary women, children and the elderly are the first victims," read the statement, to mark the anniversary Wednesday. Simultaneously, an increasingly concerned U.S. administration is pressuring Israel to change its Gaza policy and alleviate unnecessary suffering. Three weeks ago U.S. officials sent a diplomatic letter to Israeli government officials expressing alarm at the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem say the note was delivered following agreement between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, and senior administration officials. The officials argue that Israel's collective punishment of Gaza's mostly civilian population is counterproductive. The U.S. has also rejected Israel's argument that the opening of Gaza's borders is linked to the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian guerrillas three years ago.
