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UNITED NATIONS - A U.N. panel adopted a resolution Wednesday rebuking Iran for executions without due process of law and for discrimination against women and religious minorities such as the Baha'is.
The resolution was approved by the General Assembly's social, humanitarian and cultural committee.
The resolution expressed concern at executions, torture, punishments that include stoning and amputation, arbitrary closure of publications, discrimination against women and the absence of due process of law.
The Iranian National Council of resistance, an exile political umbrella group, said the U.N. Security Council, which can adopt binding decisions, should intervene against Iran.
Under Khatami, the Situation of Human Rights in Iran Slipping Backward, Associated Press, November 18
UNITED NATIONS - A U.N. committee adopted a resolution Wednesday expressing concern over Iran's continuing violation of human rights, including the use of torture, stoning and amputation.
The U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee also noted Iran's discrimination against religious minorities, in particular "the unabated pattern of persecution" against the Bahai community, including executions.
Iran's President Mohammad Khatami has talked of strengthening freedom of expression and creating a "civil society."
But Maurice Copithorne, the U.N. special representative on the situation of human rights in Iran, told the committee earlier this month there have been worrying signs that conditions were slipping backward.
He said reformers, political dissidents and commentators were detained under unacceptable circumstances, and in some cases the individuals have disappeared.
The resolution also expressed concern at the arbitrary closure of some publications and persecution of writers and journalists.
U.S. Hasn't Stemmed Flow of Missile Technology to Iran, The Washington Times, November 18
Russian missile and nuclear technology is continuing to flow to Iran despite U.S. diplomatic efforts to halt the trade, according to special U.S. envoy Robert Gallucci….
Mr. Gallucci met with Russian Space Agency Director Yuri Koptev and Russian Atomic Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov, who will visit Iran next week with a high-level delegation to discuss work on the Bushehr nuclear complex.
U.S. intelligence agencies reported earlier this month that work on the complex is moving ahead after years of delays. The United States believes the plant is part of Tehran's drive to build nuclear weapons….
Mr. Adamov will visit Iran Nov. 23-25 and meet with the president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Gholam Reza Agazadeh.
U.S. intelligence officials said the Russians' high-level visit to Iran is a signal of a new harder line against the United States in Moscow, since it will take place a few week after Congress funded the $525 million for the nuclear material program.
The visit was described by the officials as "highly visible" and "unusual" because it includes a larger number of officials and reporters.
Another unusual aspect to the Adamov visit is that it coincides with signs that work on the two reactors at Bushehr is speeding up.
Until recently, intelligence reports described the reactor project as stalled. But, Mr. Adamov's recent discussions with the Iranians included claims by the minister that work on the project is on schedule, and indications that Mr. Adamov is personally directing it, the officials said….
Russia's Duma, or lower chamber of parliament, last month passed a resolution calling for increasing military cooperation with Iran "in the interest of Russian manufacturers."…
Some administration officials said Iranian missile technicians are still being trained in Russia and materials used in building missiles are being shipped from Russia.
In July, Iran test-fired its first medium-range Shahab-3 missile, which U.S. intelligence agencies estimate was developed rapidly with Russian help. China also provided missile technology to Iran, they said.