Iran-Venezuela Javanfekr: Nations entitled to decide their fate http://www.irna.ir/ENNewsShow.aspx?NID=30302394

Iran’s Presidential Advisor for Press Affairs Ali-Akbar Javanfekr said here on Wednesday that nations are entitled to decide their fate. Addressing a group of Venezuelan researchers, Javanfekr, also managing director of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), said intervention in internal affairs of regional states is a highly provocative move. He said based on international regulations, no government has the right to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs. 

The Middle East has been witnessing very important events, the root causes of which should be found, he said, adding that certain arrogant powers have extensive influence on the region as some regional nations are dissatisfied with their governments. He refuted claims that there is a connection between uprisings in the Arab part of Middle East and North Africa and the post-vote riots in Iran. 

“Such a comparison is fully unreal and wrong because people, even the opposition, are free in Iran and cast votes without any force. The opposition have a representative at Majlis and publish their own newspaper. About 85 percent of the public took part in Iran’s latest election, dated one and half a year ago and Mr. Ahmadinejad garnered highest number of votes, which was something unprecedented in the years after the revolution. Can a country with such characteristics be compared with the countries in which people are deprived of their least social and political rights?” questioned Javanfekr.