Rice denounces Iran 'show trials'

"It's unfortunate. It's to be condemned," she added of the series of prosecutions of individuals who demonstrated in the wake of a controversial presidential election that saw President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad return to power.
"Our view is that if Iran wants to demonstrate that it is prepared to be a responsible member of the international community, then it needs to treat its people with respect and adhere to the rule of law," Rice said. "Unfortunately, these show trials are in the opposite direction."
Rice said reports that some of the demonstrators had been tortured "are of grave concern" to the United States.
But she nonetheless insisted that President Barack Obama's offer to start a dialogue on Iran's nuclear program is still open.
"That option remains on the table, and we leave it there in our national interests," Rice said.
But she warned that "it's not out there forever," recalling that Washington "will do a stock taking of where we are with respect to Iran in September." The United States, she said, will "look to other means" if Iran does not engage in talks.
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