Middle East News

EU rejects "baseless" Iranian accusations, condemns violence

Jun 22, 2009, 16:48 GMT

Brussels - The European Union on Monday dismissed as 'baseless and unacceptable' Iranian claims that some of the bloc's biggest members are trying to topple its regime. 'The EU considers the accusations made by various Iranian authorities towards the EU and its member states concerning European interference in the Iranian elections as baseless and unacceptable. All EU member states obviously stand united against accusations made towards individual EU countries,' EU members said in a joint statement. The 27-member bloc is acting 'in full respect of the sovereignty of Iran,' the statement, drawn up by the Czech presidency of the EU, said. However, at the same time the EU is 'deeply concerned with the continuing brutal violence against demonstrators ' and 'calls on the Iranian authorities to refrain from mass arbitrary arrests and strongly condemns all restrictions imposed on media and journalists.' The EU has repeatedly expressed concerns about election fraud allegations and violent street protests that have rocked Iran since disputed June 12 presidential polls, officially won by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In a deepening diplomatic row, Tehran has slammed the EU and its heavyweights - Britain, France and Germany - for siding with the opposition and questioning the election result.

Middle East News

EU rejects "baseless" Iranian accusations, condemns violence

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