US President Barack Obama condemned Iran’s aggressive response to the mass protests that have swept the country after its contested elections, saying that the United States and the international community “have been appalled and outraged” by the intimidation, beating and detention of peaceful demonstrators.

“I’ve made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of Iran,” he said.

“But we must also bear witness to the courage and the dignity of the Iranian people, and to a remarkable opening within Iranian society. And we deplore the violence against innocent civilians anywhere that it takes place.”

He also said that comments by Iranian officials blaming the US, Britain and other Western nations for inciting the protests were “patently false” and a “tired strategy to use old tensions to scapegoat other countries” that will not work. “Those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history.”

His comments, the toughest he has issued on Iran’s post-election turmoil, followed a decision by Iran’s most powerful oversight council to rule out overturning the results of the disputed presidential election, Iranian state television said Tuesday.

A day after announcing that the number of votes in 50 cities exceeded the number of eligible voters there by three million, the Guardian Council, which oversees the elections and legislation in Iran, said there was not enough proof of fraud to overturn the election, which official results gave to incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in a landslide.

“Therefore, there is no possibility of an annulment taking place,” Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, the spokesman for the Guardian Council, declared, according to the website of Press TV, Iran’s English-language state television satellite broadcaster.

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