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Commenting on the resolution adopted today by the United Nations General Assembly condemning the serious violations of human rights in Iran, National Council of Resistance President Massoud Rajavi said: The adoption of this resolution by the highest international authority, 18 months after Khatami took office, confirms that no reform or change is conceivable within the velayat-e faqih regime (absolute supremacy of clerical rule). As far as the regime's rival factions are concerned, they share interests and work jointly to violate the most fundamental human rights of the people of Iran, Mr. Rajavi added.
Since Khatami took office, 270 persons have been hanged in public, eight stoned, and 29 dissidents assassinated abroad. In the past week alone, at least five men were hanged and one was stoned in public.
The Leader of the Iranian Resistance stressed: The declining state of human rights over the past months in Iran shows that the policy of many western countries to grant economic and political concessions to the mullahs will only embolden them in their anti-human methods in repressing the people of Iran, exporting terrorism and fundamentalism, and enmity to peace.
On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mr. Rajavi called on all governments to recognize the Iranian people's just right to resist against a regime which has most brutally violated all the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He said: The murderers of the Iranian people should not be placated and diplomatic and trade sanctions must be imposed against this regime.
The General Assembly's resolution condemned "executions," "cases of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including sentences of stoning and amputation," "the lack of full and equal enjoyment by women of their human rights," and "discrimination in law and practice against women," "arbitrary closure of publications, the "sentencing to death and arrests" of and "discrimination against religious minorities."
German Court Confirms Verdict in Bombing Case, Agence France Presse, December 9
BERLIN—The German supreme court confirmed Wednesday a 1997 verdict in a bombing case that had implicated Iranian leaders in the attack.
It rejected appeals by three of the four people sentenced. The fourth has abandoned his appeal.
The attack against Iranian Kurdish dissidents in September 1992 led to the judgement of April 1997 against Iranian Kazem Darabi and Lebanese Abbas Rhayel to life sentences and two Lebanese as accessories to prison sentences of 11 years and five years and three months.
The court said the attack was ordered by Iranian leaders, including the president, the foreign minister and religious leaders.
Japan Trade Companies Face Hurdles To Iran Loan-Refinancing, Dow Jones News, December 9
TOKYO—Japanese companies considering an Iranian government proposal to roll over $1.0 billion-worth of private-sector loans using oil as collateral could face a host of problems in getting a deal implemented, sources familiar with the issue told Dow Jones Newswires Wednesday.
Any agreement would need the backing of the Japanese government, and that could be the key problem faced by the companies concerned. Industry sources said it remains unclear if the Japanese government - under pressure from the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act - will lend its support to the plan.
In addition, other factors such as the reluctance of Japanese commercial banks to provide loans and persistently low crude oil prices could hinder private companies from implementing the refinancing deal, sources said.
U.S. May Cut Russia Aid Over Iran Missile-Albright, Reuter, December 9
BRUSSELS—U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warned Russia on Wednesday it could lose millions of dollars in American aid if it did not curb its assistance to Iran's missile program, a U.S. official said.
Russia's cooperation with Iran's missile program has been a long-standing U.S. concern. Despite many entreaties, Washington has had little success so far in persuading Moscow of its point of view.
The secretary of state also renewed U.S. concern about Russian cooperation with Iran's nuclear program, particularly about underemployed Russian scientists who help Tehran for financial reasons, the official said.
The United States accuses Iran of trying to produce nuclear weapons.
U.S. officials are also concerned about a Russian deal to help Iran construct one or more nuclear power reactors at Bushehr.