16/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering has expressed his deep concern at the rise in violence in the streets of Iran since the election results were announced on Saturday. “I am worried about the development of the on-going protests in Iran, where dozens of activists and protesters have been arrested over the past days. I am dismayed to hear that seven people have been killed last night while attacking a military post. The use of force is never a solution. The authorities' response to citizens' protests must always be measured and never disproportionate,” Pöttering says in a press release. He adds: “The European Parliament is seeking to engage with the Islamic Republic of Iran as long as it explicitly commits to universal fundamental rights and principles, which include Iran's readiness to establish peaceful relations with its neighbouring countries”. (O.J./transl.rt)