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Iran Rejects U.S. Concern Over Trial of Jews
Iran on Thursday once again rejected concern expressed by the United States officials on the ongoing trial of the 13 Iranian Jews on charges of spying for Israel.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Thursday that the recent remarks of U.S. Vice President Al Gore on the issue is a "blatant intervention in Iran's internal affairs."
Gore on Tuesday voiced concern over the trial and said that the Iranian Jews were detained without a fair trial.
The Iranian authorities assured the international community that due process would be served, but by denying access to international observers and the press, the Iranian government has cast grave doubts on the legitimacy of the proceedings and on the recent statements of the accused, Gore said.
Rejecting Gore's remarks, Asefi said that Iran's judiciary would handle the case with full independence and irrespective of others' statements, and would treat the accused in full justice.
"Repeated and intervening statements of the U.S. officials is surprising and indicates their ignorance of the process of investigation of the suspects' case," he said, quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.
Iran's judicial officials said three of the 13 Iranian Jews have confessed to spying for Israel during the closed-door court hearings at the Islamic revolutionary court in Shiraz, Fars province, the center of the 25,000-strong Jewish community in Iran. The trial has aroused concern in the West, and the U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has warned the outcome could have international repercussions.
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