Iran says US disrespecting its judicial independence

After the US secretary of state launched a verbal attack against Iran's judicial sentences handed to those arrested after the post-vote unrest, the Iranian Foreign Ministry moves to condemn the remarks, Press TV reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's Judiciary issued verdicts for more than eighty people arrested during the post-election incidents in the country.

The verdicts include death sentences for five individuals convicted of carrying out terrorist activities, including bombings, across Iran, a statement from the country's Judiciary said.

Speaking on Thursday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented on the death sentences, saying they were "unfortunate and distressing."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast reacted to the remarks, going further to call on the US official to respect Iran's judicial independence.

Mehmanparast said, "It seems that the US secretary of state has made the comments based on flawed information without considering the charges of the cited individuals."

"Being a member of a terrorist group and attacking innocent people is considered a crime," the Iranian foreign ministry official said. "And its punishment is decided upon based on the constitution of the respective country."

Meanwhile, he explained that the announced verdicts can be appealed.

Mehmanparast described the comment by the US secretary of states as "interfering in the Islamic Republic's matters of state," adding that it is an "unacceptable approach".

"Respecting the laws of a country and the independence of its judicial system is a fundamental part of the [Public] International Law and it is only natural to expect that diplomatic officials of different countries respect such internationally-upheld values," the Iranian official said.