UN chief urges Iranians to avoid violence as protests continue

'I urge respect for the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern on Wednesday about the loss of life in ongoing protests in Iran and called for the security forces and demonstrators to avoid further violence, his spokesman said in a statement.



"The secretary-general ... deplores the loss of life in the protests. He urges respect for the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and that any demonstrations take place in a peaceful manner," Guterres' spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement. "Further violence must be avoided."