TEHRAN — Top Iranian officials lashed out on Tuesday at US General David Petraeus for his comments asserting the Islamic republic is becoming a "thugocracy", saying such terms are only used by "thugs."
"The murderous government of the United States is a government of thugs which has killed thousands of Iraqis, Afghans and Palestinians," parliament speaker Ali Larijani said in the assembly.
"This exhausted general has insulted the Iranian government by calling it a government of thugocracy. It is understandable why you (Petraeus) utter such comments because the people of the region hate you," the official IRNA news agency quoted Larijani as saying.
Petraeus, the head of US Central Command, said on Sunday that Iran is becoming a "thugocracy" given its attempts to suppress popular anger over last year's contested presidential vote results.
Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM...
