Indicted US Senator Bob Menendez received a standing ovation after speaking at a Senate event on Iran policy. “We must never back down from confronting Iran's human rights violations”, said the senator during an event organised by the Organisation of Iranian-American Communities on Thursday 26 October. “The all-inclusive, secular, democratic rule of law in Iran is what we should all be aspiring to. You have my hand in friendship in order to make that a reality”, said Mr Menendez before receiving a standing ovation from the people in the room. Earlier this month, Mr Menendez pleaded not guilty in New York City to a revised indictment alleging that the senator, his wife and a third defendant conspired to use the lawmaker as an agent of the Egyptian government.