Rouhani tells Erdoğan he hopes protests will end ‘in a few days’

ANKARA

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has reportedly told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that he “hopes protests in Iran will end in a few days.”

Erdoğan and Rouhani discussed ongoing demonstrations in Iran in a phone conversation on the morning of Jan. 3, according to Turkish presidential sources.

Erdoğan said Rouhani had taken an “appropriate stance” by saying demonstrators should not violate the law while exercising their right to peaceful protests, the sources stated, adding that the Turkish president stressed the significance of “maintaining peace and stability in Iran. “

Demonstrations were sparked after thousands of people took to the streets on Dec. 28 in the northeastern Iranian cities of Mashhad and Kashmar to protest against rising commodity prices and perceived government mismanagement, according to local media reports.

At least 23 people, including a police officer, have reportedly been killed more than 1,000 detained since the demonstrations began.