Iran accuses U.N. chief of 'meddling,' says credibility damaged

After the United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon asked the Iranian leadership to stop resorting to arrests and violence against its citizens, Iran accused the UN chief of 'meddling' in the nation's affairs.

The fallout from the June 12 presidential election in Iran is reaching an increasingly global panorama, as the Iranian leadership lashed out first against Western governments in Europe and in the United States and now against the United Nations. With protests in Tehran continuing and with the crackdown showing no signs of letting up, the international community has become increasingly critical and vocal in their criticism. On Monday, UN chief Ban Ki-moon requested that the Iranian authorities stop arresting and beating Iranian citizens. Ki-moon's comments were not appreciated by the Iranian government, and Iran's ministry lashed out through a state-run broadcaster. "These stances are an evident contradiction of the UN secretary general's duties, international law and are an apparent meddling in Iran's internal affairs," ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said, according to AFP. "Ban Ki-moon has damaged his credibility in the eyes of independent countries by ignorantly following some domineering powers which have a long record of uncalled-for interference in other countries' internal affairs and colonisation," Ghashghavi said, AFP reported. Unrest in Iran continues, now in its eleventh day.