EU to Invite Iran’s FM for Talks over Protests
Local Editor
The European Union announced that it is inviting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for talks over the recent riots in country.
"Together with the EU's Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, we agreed to invite the Iranian foreign minister, if possible next week," said Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel during a televised broadcast on ZDF.
While noting that Germany supports freedom of demonstration, Gabriel stressed that Berlin will not follow the lead of US President Donald Trump, who vowed to support protesters in Iran.
Germany and France have "warned against attempts at instrumentalizing the domestic conflicts in Iran," Gabriel added.
On Friday, the UN Security Council finally gave into a US push for a meeting on the latest events inside Iran which resulted in the council's veto wielders and Washington's own allies using the debate to criticize the White House for involving the council in Iran's domestic affairs.
Last week, some Iranian towns and cities were hit by scattered riots, which followed a series of peaceful demonstrations over economic issues.
However, Iranian law enforcement forces, backed by locals, intervened in time and ended the violence, which saw vandals and armed elements launch attacks on public property, mosques and police stations. Over a dozen people died amid the violence.
Meanwhile, Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi announced that 70 people charged with inciting unrest have been freed on bail.
He added that more people will be freed over the next few days, but the main plotters of the riots will be dealt with severely.
Earlier in the day, an Iranian police spokesman announced that the main plotters of recent riots in some towns and cities have been identified and arrested.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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