Clinton: U.S. stands with Iran protesters

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The United States stands with Iranian opposition supporters who sought to protest on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, calling on Tehran to grant its citizens the same freedoms that were recently won by protests in Egypt.

“Let me, clearly and directly, support the aspirations of the people who are in the streets in Iran today,” Clinton told reporters after meeting with the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner.

“What we see happening in Iran today is a testament to the courage of the Iranian people, and an indictment of the hypocrisy of the Iranian regime — a regime which over the last three weeks has constantly hailed what went on in Egypt,” Clinton said.

“We wish the opposition and the brave people in the streets across cities in Iran the same opportunities that they saw their Egyptian counterparts seize.”

Clinton spoke after an Iranian opposition website said dozens of people were arrested on Monday while taking part in a banned rally in Tehran to support popular uprisings which toppled the governments in Egypt and Tunisia in recent weeks.

The rallies amounted to a test of strength for the reformist opposition, which had not taken to the streets since December 2009 when eight people were killed.

Clinton said the United States had the same message for Iran’s government and its people that it did for their counterparts in Egypt, where popular protests last week forced longtime President Hosni Mubarak to step down.

“We think that there needs to be a commitment to open up the political system in Iran, to hear the voices of the opposition and civil society,” Clinton said, underscoring U.S. calls for non-violence, human rights and democratic political change.

The United States voiced support for Iran’s opposition protests in 2009 following a disputed election, and has since maintained pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program, which Washington fears is aimed at producing an atomic weapon.

Western officials say they believe economic sanctions are starting to squeeze the Iranian government, and are now debating next steps following inconclusive talks in Istanbul last month with Iranian officials.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the revolts in Egypt and Tunisia as an “Islamic awakening,” while Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful energy needs. Reuters

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5 responses to “Clinton: U.S. stands with Iran protesters”

  1. PROPHET.T Avatar

    Secretary of state Clinton could not ,for 17 days , bring her self to utter those words when Egyptian protesters were on the streets of Egypt calling for democracy.
    Look How fast she uttered them in support of Iranian protesters. at least she did,and that is a good thing.

  2. PROPHET.T Avatar

    Secretary of state Clinton could not ,for 17 days , bring her self to utter those words when Egyptian protesters were on the streets of Egypt calling for democracy.
    Look How fast she uttered them in support of Iranian protesters. at least she did,and that is a good thing.

  3. America voiced the support for Egypt people all the way in that 18 days and so did Iranian Hypocrsy, but when thier people want to voice they kill and jail and say it is illegal. Well guns again will have the final say.

  4. America voiced the support for Egypt people all the way in that 18 days and so did Iranian Hypocrsy, but when thier people want to voice they kill and jail and say it is illegal. Well guns again will have the final say.

  5.  Avatar

    America voiced the support for Egypt people all the way in that 18 days and so did Iranian Hypocrsy, but when thier people want to voice they kill and jail and say it is illegal. Well guns again will have the final say.

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