TEHRAN Political and Disciplinary Director General of West Azarbaijan Governorate, Hossein Biqam, denied news reports in some newspapers to the effect that a group of rascals chanting slogan of freedom attacked the people of Urumieh.
He told IRNA on Tuesday that the incident was insignificant but newspapers and the Central News Bureau aggrandized it.
Elaborating, Biqam said a small number of people after the president's speech attended by tens of thousands of people inflicted damage to two or three shops as well as a few number of cars, but with the vigilance of the people and the Law Enforcement Forces personnel the question was readily settled and no telling problem was created.
Biqam said presence of tens of thousands of people coming from Urumiyeh and other cities to welcome President Khatami indicates that people are committed to the slogans and ideals of their president.
He said projecting the misdeed of a few rascals and belittling the warm welcomed accorded to the president indicates disregard for the public opinion of the people of the province and an insult to the hospitable and cultured people of the province.