Iran chides UK over riots

Iran chides UK over riots

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran urged Britain Tuesday to avoid using force to suppress riots that have rocked London, mischievously turning the tables on Western critics of its own human rights record.

In other reaction to the wave of looting and rioting sweeping the British capital, France and Austria issued travel advisories to their citizens and a Belgian lawmaker said he feared copycat violence spreading to his own country.

"It must be weird for Londoners to read travel advisory from foreign countries against the UK; usually the other way around," tweeted Gulf social commentator Mishaal al

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the British government should "exercise restraint," avoid using violence and instead "talk to protesters and listen to their requests," the official IRNA news agency reported.

For many years Iran has been on the receiving end of criticism from Western countries over its human rights record, especially the crushing of demonstrations after the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009.

A member of Iran's parliament, Hossein Ebrahimi, told the semi-official Fars news agency that Britain should allow a delegation of human rights monitors to examine the situation.

The British riots broke out Saturday in a district of northern London when a protest over the police shooting of a suspect two days earlier led to violence.

The riots in London are the worst violence in the British capital in decades and politicians and police have firmly blamed the violence on criminals and hooligans.

Iran's state-run rolling news channel led with dramatic pictures from London, with one announcer describing the scenes as "civil war."

An official in Egypt, where unrest earlier this year ousted veteran President Hosni Mubarak, also could not resist making an ironic jab at a Western country that normally prides itself on its respect for the rule of law and for human rights.

"We will send Egyptian NGOs (to London) to check it out," said the official, in a reference to Westerners who monitored Mubarak's attempts to quash protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

Originally posted by wildtimes
Well.

Are they saying it facetiously? Or sincerely?
Hard to tell at this point.
But, good find.
s/f

Originally posted by Shelbee
As my other half pointed out - that's one of the reasons they can't put the army on the streets. We've taken a stance about Libya doing this. Be very hypocritical if we did it too.

Originally posted by JennaDarling

Originally posted by Shelbee
As my other half pointed out - that's one of the reasons they can't put the army on the streets. We've taken a stance about Libya doing this. Be very hypocritical if we did it too.

They can and DID for many decades. Northern Ireland, riots, burning people out of homes, Army sent in, Curfews, Internments, SAS, but they dare not do it on their own back yard.

Originally posted by hillynilly
Iran is using this as a joke
he thinks it is hilarious.
He is using the system and making
a joke of them.

Iran finds our political correctness a weakness
they can use against us.

Originally posted by deltaboy
Think Iran was right? Its better to not use force and listen to what the protesters want?

Originally posted by Shelbee

Originally posted by JennaDarling

Originally posted by Shelbee
As my other half pointed out - that's one of the reasons they can't put the army on the streets. We've taken a stance about Libya doing this. Be very hypocritical if we did it too.

They can and DID for many decades. Northern Ireland, riots, burning people out of homes, Army sent in, Curfews, Internments, SAS, but they dare not do it on their own back yard.

I understand what your saying, however, Northern Ireland is not the mainland of Britain. And within the current political storm of Libya and the stance the Government are trying to take in the Middle East, it would be political suicide to bring the army in.

Originally posted by JennaDarling

Originally posted by Shelbee
As my other half pointed out - that's one of the reasons they can't put the army on the streets. We've taken a stance about Libya doing this. Be very hypocritical if we did it too.

They can and DID for many decades. Northern Ireland, riots, burning people out of homes, Army sent in, Curfews, Internments, SAS, but they dare not do it on their own back yard.

Any decision to use baton rounds would not be taken lightly, he said. "We are not going to throw away 180 years of policing with communities quickly. The repercussions and change to the way we police if we take the decision to use them will be long-lasting."

Originally posted by JennaDarling

Originally posted by Shelbee

Originally posted by JennaDarling

Originally posted by Shelbee
As my other half pointed out - that's one of the reasons they can't put the army on the streets. We've taken a stance about Libya doing this. Be very hypocritical if we did it too.

They can and DID for many decades. Northern Ireland, riots, burning people out of homes, Army sent in, Curfews, Internments, SAS, but they dare not do it on their own back yard.

I understand what your saying, however, Northern Ireland is not the mainland of Britain. And within the current political storm of Libya and the stance the Government are trying to take in the Middle East, it would be political suicide to bring the army in.

Yes not "mainland britain". Good excuse that.