Iran has condemned the recent use of force against demonstrators in Libya as "unacceptable," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.
Iran appreciates the Libyan people's demands, as well as the other movements in the region, as a part of the recent "Islamic awakening," he said.
"Iran will follow further developments in Libya. Reports of air strikes on demonstrators and the mass killings of innocent people are terrible, and the international community should take effective and urgent measures to stop such acts of violence," Mehmanparast added.
The public took to the streets in the Libyan provinces on Feb. 15 and demanded Muammar Gaddafi, who has ruled the country for 42 years, to resign.
The demonstrations are covering new areas of the country each day. The Libyan authorities have severely suppressed the popular discontent. According to eyewitnesses, military aircraft was used yesterday to break up the demonstrations in Tripoli and the second largest Libyan city Benghazi. According to international human rights organizations, the number of deaths during the recent events in Libya has hit 500 people, and the number of injured has reached 4,000.
The Libyan authorities have categorically denied reports of mass killings and the use of air power against the demonstrators.