Region | Iran

Obama tells Iran's leaders to stop 'unjust' actions

Barack Obama challenged Iran's government to halt a "violent and unjust" crackdown on dissenters.

  • AP
  • Published: 08:05 June 21, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: AP
  • Barack Obama's comments have grown more pointed as the clashes intensified, and his latest remarks took direct aim at Iranian leaders.

Washington: US President Barack Obama on Saturday challenged Iran's government to halt a "violent and unjust" crackdown on dissenters, using his bluntest language yet to condemn Tehran's post-election response.

Obama has sought a measured reaction to avoid being drawn in as a meddler in Iranian affairs. Yet his comments have grown more pointed as the clashes intensified, and his latest remarks took direct aim at Iranian leaders.

"We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people," Obama said in a written statement. "The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights."

Obama has searched for the right tone in light of political pressures on all sides. On Capitol Hill, Congress pressed him to condemn the Iranian government's response. In Iran, the leadership was poised to blame the US for interference and draw Obama in more directly.

Obama met with advisers at the White House as developments in Iran grew more ominous, with police seen beating protesters.

"Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away," the president said, recalling a theme from the speech he gave in Cairo, Egypt, this month.

"The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government," Obama said. "If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion."

Obama's comments came as protesters outside the White House waved Iranian flags and denounced Iranian government efforts to suppress the protesters.

Protesters in Iran have demanded that government cancel and rerun the June 12 elections that ended with a declaration of overwhelming victory for hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Reformist presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi says he won and claimed widespread fraud.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said there was no ballot rigging. He warned of a crackdown if protesters continued their massive street rallies.

Then on Saturday, police in Iran beat protesters and fired tear gas and water cannons at thousands who rallied in open defiance of Iran's clerical government. Witnesses described fierce clashes after some 3,000 protesters chanted "Death to the dictator!" and "Death to dictatorship!" in downtown Tehran.

Your comments


Why he doesn't have the same language dealing with Israel?
PM
Fujairah,UAE
Posted: June 21, 2009, 16:12

The Obama administration is concerned not only to the political development of Muslim contries but to countries where freedom of speech are suppressed and threatens the life of its citizens and most specially its neighbors... like South Korea, Cuba, China and all alike. We are governed by the International Law, and US with Obama has the duty to depend everybody's right which is under the international law...
MC
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: June 21, 2009, 15:23

Americans please stay out of Iranian politics. Please help your people to sort out the financial melt down - this interference has caused thousands of jobs with the war in Iraq and Iran.
Hassan
london,uk
Posted: June 21, 2009, 14:47

Sir, The fundamentalist have been in control of Iranian polity for long without any accountability. Iran is gifted with vast natural resources, enough to turn the country into a developed nation in less than a decade. Yet the autocratic fundamentalist prefer to live in the stone age and enforce their will on the majority. We the youth of the world stand united with the Iranian youth in their quest for a life with liberty and freedom. Regards Jencil Philip
Jencil Philip
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: June 21, 2009, 14:23

In Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is already a winner. Then why European countries interference for Iran re-election.
Parag
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 21, 2009, 11:22

Obama like his predecessor Bush is concerned on the political developments in Muslim countries. My opinion is Obama should refrain from comments like this as Mr Ahmedinejad's victory is not yet proved to be so-called fake or fraud. Let the citizens and the authorities of Iran decide on this issue. Isn't it enough for America with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. Why he doesn't have the same language dealing with Israel? Shame on you Obama...
Warner
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 21, 2009, 10:51

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