Obama takes note of Neda’s sacrifice, blasts Iran

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Neda Agha-Soltan has become an international rallying cry for democracy in Iran - Photo Family handout

President Barack Obama on Tuesday took note of the murder of Iranian student Neda Agha-Soltan who has become a rallying cry in the pro-democracy struggle inside Iran.

He described “experiencing” the “searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets” and told Iran the United States and the international community are appalled and outraged by government actions.

“We watched what Iranian people are doing, this is what we witnessed, we’ve seen the timeless dignity of tens of thousands of Iranians marching in silence and we’ve seen people of all ages risk everything to insist their votes are counted and that their voices are heard,” Obama said.

“Above all we’ve seen women stand up to the brutality and threats and we’ve experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets,” he said, warning that there is nothing that Iran can do to stop the flow of Information to the world.

The Iranian government “must govern through consent not coercion” he said.

“The United States and the International community have been appalled and outraged by the threats and beatings and imprisonments of the last few days,” Obama said.

“I strongly condemn these unjust actions and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost,” the President said. “I made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is not interfering with Iran’s affairs. But we must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the Iranian people and the remarkable opening within Iranian society.”

“We deplore violence against innocent civilians anywhere that it takes place, the Iranian people are trying to have a debate about their future” but some in the Iranian government are declining to participate in that debate by accusing the United States and others of instigating protests.

“These accusations are patently false,” said Obama. “There is an obvious attempt to distract people from what is truly taking place within Iran’s borders.”

“The Iranian people can speak for themselves and that is precisely what has happened,” he said.