TEHRAN, June 23 (Xinhua) - Iranian Foreign Ministry
Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Tuesday condemned UN chief Ban Ki-moon's "meddling"
statements on its internal affairs, the local ISNA news agency reported.
Commenting on Ban Ki-moon's recent statements on
Iran's election results, Qashqavi said, "the UN chief, affected by the negative
atmosphere created by some ... powers, has failed to notice some of the facts
about the recent presidential elections in Iran."
"Such a stance overtly contradicts the duties of the
UN Secretary General, the agreed international regulations and it is obvious
meddling in Iran's internal affairs," he said.
A UN statement issued by Ban's spokesperson said on
Monday that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "is dismayed by the post-election
violence" in Iran and reiterated his hopes that "the democratic will of Iranian
people will be fully respected."
"The situation in Iran is of concern to the
international community, and the secretary general calls on the government and
the opposition to resolve peacefully their differences through dialogue and
legal means," the statement said.
"He calls on the authorities to respect fundamental
civil and political rights, especially the freedom of expression, freedom of
assembly and freedom of information," the statement added.
Iran's Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on Monday
against the destabilizers of public security and law.
A statement released by the IRGC said in the current
situation and following the recent clashes, the strategy of IRGC and security
forces is to firmly confront the destabilizers of public security and law and
the threats against the revolution, the official ISNA news agency reported.
The IRGC statement ordered demonstrators to "end the
sabotage and rioting activities," warning Western countries not to support the
rioters.
Turbulence has overshadowed Tehran following the
disputed presidential election on June 12.
On Saturday, Iran's police used tear gas and water
cannons to disperse demonstrators at a main square of Tehran in the latest
violent clash between protestors and security forces.
Iran's police have arrested 457 people in the
post-election violence that erupted Saturday in Tehran despite warnings against
illegal gatherings, local Press TV reported on Monday.
¡¡ 13 people were killed in clashes between Iranian police and opposition
"terrorist groups" on Saturday.
On June 13, Iran's Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli
said incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of the total
ballots on June 12, while his main rival Mir-Hossein Mousavi got 33.75 percent.
After the official declaration, Mousavi protested
"strongly" the "obvious violations" in Iran's presidential election. He also
appealed to the Guardian Council for the cancellation of the election results.
Mousavi's supporters have participated in massive
rallies in Tehran and other cities over the past days.
Iran lashes out at Western
interference in election affairs
TEHRAN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian officials have lashed
out at some Western countries, particularly Britain and the United States, over
their "interference" in Iran's election affairs as the country has been hit by
post-vote unrest.
In his speech to foreign diplomats in Tehran on
Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was "highly critical of some
Western countries, specifically France, Germany, Britain and the U.S., for their
inappropriate, illogical and interfering words." Full story
Iran arrests 5 European spies:
report
TEHRAN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's security forces have
arrested five European spies, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on
Monday.
Iranian security forces identified and arrested five
European spies during the Saturday unrest in Tehran, the report said.
"According to the dispatched reports, two German, one
British and two French spies have been arrested during the unrest in Tehran on
Saturday," Fars said without elaborating the details. Full
story
