Tehran, June 21: Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani urges ‘politicians and candidates’ to separate themselves from rioters and seek legal channels to prove their claims.
“The issue can not be taken forward by shouting fraud, stirring the mood, and dragging the issue to the streets,” Larijani said in a Saturday televised interview.
“We must separate those who have burnt people’s shops in the streets and harmed the police and Basij (volunteer militias) forces, who are the guardians of the country, from the critics of the election results,” he added.
“Some, who may not have even voted, are taking advantage of the current mood by creating unrest and disrupting public security. They must be stopped,” said the leading parliamentarian adding ‘critics of the election results’ should draw a line between themselves and the rioters.
The Parliament (Majlis) Speaker also condemned the recent violent attacks on the Tehran University dormitories by un-uniformed militias and called them “meaningless no matter under what banner they are carried out.”
“Burning public property is meaningless. These people are after something else. They must be stopped,” he said.
Larijani said that during the past few days the country has witnessed hundreds of thousands of people going out into the streets adding arguments of those who are unhappy with the election results should be heeded.
He suggested giving “those who may have something to say” a chance to express them in fresh television debates.
“We must not violate the law if we see a deficiency. Abiding by the law is in the interest of the entire nation, whether it be with regards to the elections or other issues,” he said.
“The law can not be broken in the name of the nation’s rights, however, the voice of the people who have taken part in rallies must also be heard,” he added.
Larijani then went on to attack “certain foreign politicians,” particularly the British and Americans, for “making rude comments and trying to pose as supporters of human rights in Iran.”
“I must tell Obama and the British, French and German heads of state that you are more notorious than to interfere in Iran’s affairs. The Iranian people know you too well,” said Larijani.
“We remember how in times of the Shah, the government got orders from [former US president Jimmy] Carter to crack down on the people,” he added.
“The French president must know that during the war, his country rented fighter jets out to Iraq. And Britain is more dishonorable than this, as its fingerprints can be found on all mischief that takes place in Iran,” he said.
Larijani pointed out that although the Iranian people may have some differences they are “one family,” that knows how to resolve its problems.
He then touched upon comments made by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei during his Friday prayers sermon and said the notion that all the 40 million who voted are within the framework of the Revolution, is a fact.
He also commented on a statement issued by Western leaders on the current events in Iran and said that it had “lifted their disguise.”
“Obama talked of change and sent some messages that I want to talk to you, but Iran’s leaders were smart, so they asked him to show action not just words,” he said.
Finally the Iranian parliament speaker urged calm and said now that Iran had emerged from a state dependent on Israel and the US into a country with an effective regional role its gains must not be wasted on the disagreement that has occurred.
—–Agencies