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| Obama condemns 'unjust' violence | |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has strongly condemned the "unjust actions" of Iran in clamping down on election protests. | |
| Earlier Iran accused United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon of "meddling" after he called on Iran to respect the "will of its people". | |
| Iranian foreign minister Hassan Ghashghavi criticised him for listening to "domineering" Western powers. | Iranian foreign minister Hassan Ghashghavi criticised him for listening to "domineering" Western powers. |
| Mr Obama said it was "patently false" to suggest the West was fomenting unrest in Iran. | |
| He said: "The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days. | |
| "I strongly condemn these unjust actions, and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost." | |
| Police outside the British Embassy in Tehran | |
| Earlier the opposition was told the 12 June election would not be annulled. | |
| In the 10 days since the election result, which saw incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad returned with 63% of the vote, opposition supporters have clashed with police on the streets of the capital Tehran. | In the 10 days since the election result, which saw incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad returned with 63% of the vote, opposition supporters have clashed with police on the streets of the capital Tehran. |
| Mr Obama said: "The United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not at all interfering in Iran's affairs. But we must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the Iranian people, and to a remarkable opening within Iranian society." | |
| He said of the allegations of meddling: "This tired strategy of using old tensions to scapegoat other countries won't work anymore in Iran. | |
| "This is not about the United States and the West. This is about the people of Iran, and the future that they - and only they - will choose." | |
| Referring to the recent clampdown on the foreign media in Iran, Mr Obama said: "In 2009 no iron fist is strong enough to shut off the world from bearing witness to the peaceful pursuit of justice. | |
| "Despite the Iranian government's efforts to expel journalists and isolate itself, powerful images and poignant words have made their way to us through cell phones and computers, and so we have watched what the Iranian people are doing." | |
| Earlier Mr Ban had urged the authorities in Iran to respect fundamental civil rights, "especially the freedom of assembly and expression", and end arrests. | |
| Have Your Say People are tired of being hopeless and have nothing to lose so they are very strong IS, Tehran | Have Your Say People are tired of being hopeless and have nothing to lose so they are very strong IS, Tehran |
| However, Mr Ghashghavi said: "These stances are an evident contradiction of the UN secretary general's duties, international law and are an apparent meddling in Iran's internal affairs. | However, Mr Ghashghavi said: "These stances are an evident contradiction of the UN secretary general's duties, international law and are an apparent meddling in Iran's internal affairs. |
| He said the UN secretary general had "damaged his credibility" in the eyes of "independent" countries by "ignorantly following some domineering powers which have a long record of uncalled-for interference in other countries' internal affairs and colonisation". | He said the UN secretary general had "damaged his credibility" in the eyes of "independent" countries by "ignorantly following some domineering powers which have a long record of uncalled-for interference in other countries' internal affairs and colonisation". |
| On Tuesday, the country's legislative body, the Guardian Council, said there had been no major polling irregularities and the result would stand. | On Tuesday, the country's legislative body, the Guardian Council, said there had been no major polling irregularities and the result would stand. |
| Guardian Council spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhoda'i said there had been "no major fraud or breach in the election". | Guardian Council spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhoda'i said there had been "no major fraud or breach in the election". |
| Mourning call | Mourning call |
| However, opposition supporters continued to call for the elections to be re-run, amid claims of vote tampering. | However, opposition supporters continued to call for the elections to be re-run, amid claims of vote tampering. |
| Among them was opposition candidate Mehdi Karoubi, who urged Iranians to mourn for dead protesters on Thursday. | Among them was opposition candidate Mehdi Karoubi, who urged Iranians to mourn for dead protesters on Thursday. |
| We want a very good relationship with the Iranians, we also respect the fact that it's for the Iranian people themselves to choose who their government is Gordon BrownBritish leader | We want a very good relationship with the Iranians, we also respect the fact that it's for the Iranian people themselves to choose who their government is Gordon BrownBritish leader |
| His call echoed an earlier one from cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri for three days of national mourning for those killed in the street protests. | His call echoed an earlier one from cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri for three days of national mourning for those killed in the street protests. |
| The protests in the last 24 hours are smaller than they have been over the past 10 days, amid the strong security presence on the streets. | The protests in the last 24 hours are smaller than they have been over the past 10 days, amid the strong security presence on the streets. |
| BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said the protesters were talking about finding other ways to show their opposition, including strikes or civil disobedience. | |
| A spokesman for the US government said it "would not endorse" general strikes. | A spokesman for the US government said it "would not endorse" general strikes. |
| But he added: "We've seen the beginnings of change in Iran." | But he added: "We've seen the beginnings of change in Iran." |
| In a fresh diplomatic move, Britain is expelling two Iranian diplomats in response to Tehran's decision to order two UK diplomats to leave Iran following allegations UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called "absolutely without foundation". | In a fresh diplomatic move, Britain is expelling two Iranian diplomats in response to Tehran's decision to order two UK diplomats to leave Iran following allegations UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called "absolutely without foundation". |
| Mr Brown told the BBC: "We want a very good relationship with the Iranians, we also respect the fact that it's for the Iranian people themselves to choose who their government is. | Mr Brown told the BBC: "We want a very good relationship with the Iranians, we also respect the fact that it's for the Iranian people themselves to choose who their government is. |
| "But when there is a sign of repression or where there is violence that's affecting ordinary people in the streets, we have a duty to speak out and to say we want Iran to be part of the world, we don't want Iran to be isolated from the world." | "But when there is a sign of repression or where there is violence that's affecting ordinary people in the streets, we have a duty to speak out and to say we want Iran to be part of the world, we don't want Iran to be isolated from the world." |
| On Friday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banned protests, prompting street violence in which at least 10 people died. | On Friday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banned protests, prompting street violence in which at least 10 people died. |
| Severe reporting restrictions placed on the BBC and other foreign media in Iran mean protest reports cannot be verified independently. | Severe reporting restrictions placed on the BBC and other foreign media in Iran mean protest reports cannot be verified independently. |
| Are you in Iran? What do you think of the current situation? Are you taking part in the demonstrations? | Are you in Iran? What do you think of the current situation? Are you taking part in the demonstrations? |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |