DUSHANBE, June 25, 2009, Asia-Plus — Iranians today need peace and accord more than ever before, especially in view of ongoing violence and instability in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan, the Tajik MFA information department head Davlat Nazriyev said in an interview with Asia-Plus, commenting on the latest developments in Iran that have resulted from a disputed presidential election.
“The government and the people of Iran should solve all arising problems in a civilized way through dialogue, without use of force,” the spokesman said.
“All side should realize that fate of Iran, its development depends on constructive approach to the problem and it is decided together with the people,” Nazriyev said.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has told the US not to interfere in Iranian politics, the Fars news agency reports.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday said he strongly condemned the unjust violence used on protesters.
BBC News reported on Thursday that key protest leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said on his website that he was facing “recent pressures” to withdraw his election challenge. “Access to people is completely restricted”, the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying, according to BBC. Earlier, his website said 70 university professors were arrested immediately after meeting Mr. Mousavi on Wednesday, and it was not clear where they had been taken.
Hundreds of opposition protesters and activists are believed to have been taken into custody and at least 17 people have died in the unrest that followed the 12 June election, BBC reported, noting that severe reporting restrictions placed on the BBC and other foreign media mean many reports from the country cannot be verified independently.
