EU: Increase of violence in Iran 'unacceptable'

By Sibel Ugurlu

ANKARA (AA) - The European Commission on Thursday condemned "the unacceptable increase of violence and loss of human lives" in Iran.

Citing Tuesday's EU statement on protests in Iran, European Commission spokesman Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela said the European body "stressed peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression are fundamental rights that apply to every country, including Iran".

Last Thursday, Iranians took to the streets in the northeastern cities of Mashhad and Kashmar to protest rising inflation and perceived government mismanagement.

These demonstrations were followed on Saturday and Wednesday by large pro-government protests.

At least 23 people have been killed -- including a police officer -- while hundreds more have reportedly been detained.

On Wednesday, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps, announced that the days-long wave of street demonstrations in Iran had effectively ended.

"Today is the day the sedition ended," Jafari said in comments broadcast on Iranian state television.