In light of the recent uprisings around the Mediterranean and Middle East, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appealed for the governments to listen to their people. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Ahmadinejad, "urged those leaders of regional countries who respond to the demands of their nations and their revolutionary uprisings with hot bullets to join their peoples' movements instead of creating blood baths." Such a statement is, of course, contrary to the practices already demonstrated by Ahmadinejad's government during the 2009 elections. In addition for calling out the Iranians on having killed their demonstrators, Hillary Clinton commented, "Off the streets, the regime's leaders have targeted human rights defenders and political activists, and authorities have recently rounded up ex-government officials and their families; former members of parliament; clerics and their children; student leaders and their professors; as well as journalists and bloggers."