Iran lashes out at Western interference in election affairs

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by Xinhua writer Liang Youchang

TEHRAN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian officials have lashed out at some Western countries, particularly Britain and the United States, over their "interference" in Iran's election affairs as the country has been hit by post-vote unrest.

In his speech to foreign diplomats in Tehran on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was "highly critical of some Western countries, specifically France, Germany, Britain and the U.S., for their inappropriate, illogical and interfering words."

Mottaki also pointed out "an inflooding of British intelligence officials ahead of the election" into Iran, the English-language satellite channel Press TV reported.

The Iranian Foreign Minister insisted that Iran's election process and the whole observing structure make the possibility of any irregularities or vote rigging "close to zero."

Mottaki also criticized some foreign media outlets and television channels for beating "the drums of war" in their reports of Iran's post-election disputes.

The correspondent for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Iran, Jon Leyne, has been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours, Iran's Fars news agency reported Sunday.

Leyne was expelled under the charges of, among other things, making fabricated news reports and supporting rioters, Fars said.

File photo shows that Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki talks to the media during a news conference in Havana April 30, 2009. He criticizes some Western countries, specifically France, Germany, Britain and the U.S., for their inappropriate, illogical and interfering words in his speech to foreign diplomats in Tehran Sundy.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)