Brown, Abdullah speak on Iranian protests

LONDON, June 23 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met King Abdullah of Jordan to discuss unrest in Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Iranian protesters thronged the streets of major cites in response to a disputed June 12 presidential election that saw Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claim an overwhelming victory.

Abdullah and Brown expressed their grave concern over the response to the demonstrations by the clerical regime in Tehran. The leaders issued a joint declaration calling on the regime to exercise restraint in their response to the protests.

During his morning news briefing Tuesday, the British premier said it was important that Iran act with respect for human rights and respond to protests without violence.

Amateur media released from Iran depict what appear to be riot police and the Basij militia striking protesters with truncheons.

Apart from the street demonstrations, Brown and Abdullah agreed that recent calls by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a Palestinian state were helpful, but urged Israeli leaders to agree to demands to halt settlement activity in the Palestinian territories.