'People can criticize, not violence'

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that the Iranian people have the right to criticize the government but there is no right to violence.

In the first public reaction, during a meeting of the country's cabinet on Sunday in response to a series of violent protests in Iran, he said this in the first public reaction.

Protesters held demonstrations in Iranian cities, including Tehran, for four days. The authorities closed the social networks to prevent the interference of the protesters.

Rouhani was silent about the ongoing protests, but he blamed his silence in an obscene manner and described it as the biggest challenge for the government after the mass protests in 2009.

The protests began on Thursday in Iran's second largest city of Mashad. Protesters protested against the delicate situation of the country's economy. But it soon became anti-government protest and it spread widely across the country.

At the time, they slogan 'Let down the tyranny!'

According to the official media, the Rouhani cabinet has said in the meeting that people are totally free to criticize even criticism, but violence and people's resources are different.

He said, the people should be given the chance to give legitimate criticism and protest of the government.