Supporters of the defeated candidates in the 2009 presidential elections, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi
, gathered in parts of the Iranian capital on Monday. Tehran says members of anti-government groups, including the anti-Iran terrorist group Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), disrupted the protests by staging riots and shooting on bystanders. Two people were killed and several others injured.
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton
... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as
Another John Foster Dulles...
asserted on the same day, "Let me, clearly and directly, support the aspirations of the people who are in the streets in Iran today."
"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," she said.
Reacting to Clinton's remarks, Rezaiee said, "Clinton has accused Iran of violating its people's rights, but she ignored violation of citizens' rights in La Belle France and Britain during anti-government protests."
"Now, American officials have claimed to support human rights
... which are not the same thing as individual rights, mind you...
, when a small number of rioters erupted into the streets of Tehran," he added.
Counter-demonstrations were, meanwhile, held in condemnation of the move by the opposition to disrupt public order and the riots by the supporters of the defeated candidates.
Iran has repeatedly slammed Western countries, in particular the US and Britain, for supporting post-election riots that erupted following the June 2009 presidential election, which resulted in the victory of incumbent President Mahmoud
Short RoundAhmadinejad.