TEHRAN - On Monday, the merchants of the Tehran Bazaar closed their shops for several hours and staged a demonstration to condemn the bloody massacres of protesters in Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen.

The merchants chanted slogans in support of the Bahraini, Libyan, and Yemeni protesters and expressed their sympathy and solidarity with the Arab peoples who are seeking a change in their governments.
They also condemned the brutal suppression of popular uprisings in those countries.
Following is an excerpt of the statement which was read out at the end of the demonstration:
We call on human rights organizations and the international media to exert pressure on Bahraini officials and military forces to stop the violation of the legitimate rights of the people in this country and express their support for the oppressed people of this state.
It is a matter of regret and surprise that the government of Bahrain invited foreign forces to their country to quell the uprising of its civilians while the people are expressing their demands for the most fundamental citizenship rights through peaceful means.
The protest of the Bahraini people is not sectarian. The Shia and Sunni Muslims want to see their legitimate demands acknowledged. They are living together peacefully and avoid stirring up sectarian differences.
We denounce the intervention of the occupying Saudi troops in Bahrain and call on the secretary generals of the United Nations, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the Arab League to take serious measures to respond to the demands of the oppressed Muslim nation of Bahrain.
The merchants also called on the United Nations to establish a committee to investigate human rights violations in Bahrain and report the criminals to international courts.
Deputy Majlis Speaker Mohammad Hassan Abutorabifard also delivered a speech at the demonstration, in which he stated that the grassroots uprisings in the Arab world were inspired by the Islamic Revolution of Iran of 1979.
He also called on the people in the countries swept by anti-government uprisings to continue their resistance.
Demonstration held outside Saudi Arabian Embassy
A number of university students also held a demonstration outside the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran to denounce the dispatch of Saudi troops to Bahrain to quell the unrest in the country.
The demonstrators chanted slogans in condemnation of Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Bahrain and held up photos of Bahraini protesters who were killed in the unrest.
A statement was also issued at the end of the demonstration.