Iran's unrest sign of freedom, envoy says

BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 30 (UPI) -- The political and civil unrest emerging in Iran is a sign of a vibrant democracy and an example of social freedoms, the Iranian envoy to Lebanon said.

Iran witnessed violent, often bloody, confrontations in the wake of the June 12 election that brought a disputed victory to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

With a blackout imposed on foreign media outlets, confirmation of events on the ground are difficult to verify, though amateur reports suggest Iranian paramilitary forces have reacted with violence to street demonstrators protesting the outcome of the election.

Iranian authorities have blamed foreign media outlets for misrepresenting the events on the ground, and Mohammad Reza Shibani, the Iranian envoy to Lebanon, said the post-election climate was typical for a society that is "a shining example of political democracy and freedom," the Lebanese Daily Star reports.

Nearly two weeks after the disputed election and with Iran discounting challenges to the election result, the civil demonstrations have evolved to a modest opposition to the clerical and political leadership in Tehran.

Shibani, however, discounted any challenge to the Iranian political system, saying the country came out of the elections with renewed determination.

"Iran was able to come out of these events stronger than before, through depending on the trust of the Iranian people and the wise command of the leadership of the country," he said.