Iran rejects EU demand to meet dissidents

Iran has cancelled a European Parliament delegation visit to Tehran after the group asked to meet two Iranian activists awarded a top EU rights prize, a parliament spokeswoman said on Saturday.   

The decision came after senior officials at the parliament, which on Friday awarded its Sakharov prize for human rights and freedom of thought to human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and filmmaker Jafar Panahi, said they wanted the delegation to meet the two activists.   

"After hearing the new conditions, the Iranians decided to cancel," European Parliament spokeswoman Satu Helin told Reuters. The delegation was set to travel to Tehran from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.   

Iran's Mehr news agency quoted an Iranian parliamentary official as saying the European delegation had stated as a "precondition" a visit with Sotoudeh and Panahi.   

"The European parliamentary delegation wished to visit two Iranian political prisoners and give them a prize," said Hossein Sheikholeslam, international affairs adviser to Iran's parliament, according to Mehr. "Iran did not agree with this condition."   

Ties between Iran and Europe have become increasingly strained over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.  

But meetings between European and Iranian parliamentary delegations were meant to keep open another line of communication, including with civil society - even though the European Parliament has little influence over dealings with Tehran.   

Western countries accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear bomb; Tehran denies this and says its program is for peaceful purposes only.

An adviser to Iran's parliamentary speaker said Tehran has refused a request by a group of European lawmakers to visit two jailed dissidents to present them with awards.
 
Hossein Sheikholeslam said the Islamic Republic rejected preconditions by the team for visiting Evin prison near Tehran and meet the two.

His comments were reported by the semi-official Mehr news agency Saturday. Mehr says the group is still expected to arrive Sunday. The EU could not be immediately reached for comment.

The European Parliament awarded the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi, both serving jail terms in Tehran. Soutedeh is a human rights lawyer and Panahi is a filmmaker. Both were charged with roles in supporting the opposition in post-election unrest in 2009..


REUTERS/AP