World powers pressure Iran over violent crackdown

BRUSSELS – European Union nations yesterday called in Iranian ambassadors to express new alarm over violence on the streets of Tehran as the world again sought to pressure the Islamic government over its crackdown.

Japan also expressed concern as Iran ruled out cancelling a disputed presidential vote.At least five European countries called in the Iranian ambassadors to protest over events in Tehran. France summoned Iran’s ambassador for the second time in eight days to condemn what it called the ‘brutal repression’ of protests.A senior French foreign ministry official expressed ‘great concern with developments in Iran’ and reiterated France’s demand that ‘full light be shed on the honesty of the presidential vote,’ said a ministry spokesman.’He reasserted our condemnation of the brutal repression of protests that have left many dead,’ said spokesman Frederic Desagneaux.Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden also summoned the Iranian envoys in their capitals.A high-ranking Dutch foreign ministry official condemned ‘excessive violence’ against protesters during a meeting with Iran’s charge d’affaires, according to a ministry spokesman.The Czech government, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, summoned Iran’s representative in Prague on Monday and called on other EU countries to follow suit.Britain, Italy and Germany have all warned their nationals against travelling to Iran, with London also pulling out the families of embassy staff after students threatened the Tehran mission.Groups opposed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have staged almost daily rallies to protest at alleged fraud and widespread irregularities in the June 12 election which returned him to power.State media has said at least 17 people have been killed and many more wounded in the unrest that poses the most serious challenge to the Islamic government in 30 years.Iranian authorities have hit back at their critics however, accusing Western governments, particularly Britain and the United States, of meddling.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has voiced growing concern about the violence and urged ‘an immediate stop to the arrests, threats and use of force.’ – Nampa-AFP