Hague accuses Iran of hypocrisy

The British Secretary of State, William Hague, today accused Iran of “breathtaking hypocrisy” for supporting revolutions throughout the world while denying the popular will of its own population. He paid tribute to the “many brave human rights supporters in and outside Iran who are working for a better future for their country.” The speech was given in London today as part of the Times “Imprisoned in Iran” event. Hague stated that events throughout the Middle East and North Africa this year were “heartening”, and represented “the greatest potential advancement of human rights since the end of the Cold War.” He conceded that while Iran is different to its Arab neighbours, he believed that the Islamic state would not be immune to the wave of popular protest that spread throughout the Middle East in 2011. He mused that governments increasingly need to be accountable to their population. “While some governments across the region are waking up to this truth, Iran is moving in the opposite direction. The actions of the Iranian regime are holding Iran back, isolating its people and suffocating their immense potential, and preventing Iran from enjoying normal and productive relations with the outside world.” Iran itself faced a major uprising in 2009 following the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hague reaffirmed the British support for Iranian opposition movements. “It is up to Iranians to determine the future of their country - but Britain will be resolute in standing up for their human rights.”