EU reactions
August 10, 2009
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is a cautious man as befits a very experienced diplomat. Throughout the most recent dispute with Iran he has continually called for restraint. But his patience seems to have worn thin.
The immediate reason for this is the trial in Tehran against a Frenchwoman and two Iranian employees of the French and the British embassies. They are all accused of spying against Iran and taking part in efforts to topple the Islamic system. In an interview, Mr Bildt said it was a show trial.
“I've protested very sharply on behalf of the European Union. This is not against individual persons or countries but against the European Union as a whole, and this is exactly how we are treating this matter,” said Bildt.
Bildt's comments were not received well in Tehran. Hassan Ghashghavi, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, reacted by saying it was beyond any legal logic to claim a trial in one country would simultaneously challenge 27 other countries. Ghashgavi added that Iran had never interfered in elections or trials in the EU and expected the EU to do the same. He rejected EU calls to let the defendants go free.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will stand firm against irrational demands,“ said Gashghavi.
EU nations also criticize trials
A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office called the decision to put the British embasssy's chief political analyst, Hossein Rassam on trial, fully unacceptable.
In a statement released by the French Foreign Ministry, the French called the accusations against Reiss "without foundation." Paris has categorically denied espionage charges levied against Reiss, a lecturer at a university in Iran.
Clotilde Reiss, a French lecturer, has confessed that she supplied information on post-election protests to foreign embassies. The Iranian employee of the British embassy has said he was sent to attend and monitor the demonstrations.
EU diplomats have suggested that the accused have made these statements under pressure.
Christoph Hasselbach, Brussels/av
Editor: Michael Lawton