Mr. Speaker, the situation in Iran remains extremely alarming. Hundreds of thousands of people have been demonstrating on the streets of Tehran and throughout the country questioning the results of the presidential election and demanding justice. Today Ayatollah Khamenei warned that street protests must stop or opposition leaders would be held responsible for the ensuing violence.
Our government continues to express its deep concern over the allegations of fraud, and we continue to call for a full and transparent investigation. The votes of all Iranians must count, and innocent Iranians must be able to freely express their views without fear of intimidation or violence.
Iranian authorities have asked Canada to abstain from commenting on the situation. We will do no such thing. Our government will continue to promote democracy and we will continue to challenge Iran on human rights.