PRESS RELEASE(I)

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Permanent Mission to the United Nations

622 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017· Tel. (212) 687-2020 · Fax (212) 867-7086 · E-mail [email protected]

PRESS SECTION

"The arrest and charges against a number of Iranian Jews

has nothing to do with their religion."

    Statement by Jewish religious and political leaders in Iran, 13 June 1999

Iranian security officials in Shiraz announced, on 9 June 1999, that a number of active members of an espionage network have been identified and subsequently arrested upon a warrant from judicial authorities. The official added that 13 out of the total number of arrested individuals are suspected to have spied for Israel. He added that the case is still under investigation pending trial, and further details will be released in the near future.

This case has raised some reactions in certain quarters. It has been argued that the Jews were arrested merely on account of their religious belief that they were scape-goated because of factional politics in Iran, and thus they are innocent and must be released immediately.

The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations believes that such demands constitute open interference in the legal system of the Islamic Republic of Iran and practically amounts to demanding immunity from investigation and prosecution for the accused on account of their religion.

The Permanent Mission wishes to refer to the statement of 13 June 1999 by the leaders of the Jewish community in Iran signed by Rabbi Yusuf Hamedani Cohen, the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community in Iran, Dr. Manouchehr Elyasi, the Representative of the Iranian Jewish Community in the Parliament, Haroun Bashayani, President of the Association of Iranian Jewish Community, in which it says: "the Islamic Republic of Iran has demonstrated to the world that it has treated the Jewish community and other religious minorities well, the Iranian Jewish community has enjoyed constitutional rights of citizenship and that the arrest and charges against a number of Iranian Jews have nothing to do with their religion." The statement goes on to say: "We are confident that the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran will adjudicate this case in justice and with fairness, and after according the accused the right to defend themselves, will issue the verdict."

On the merit of the case and the fallacy of reactions it has generated in some circles, the Permanent Mission wishes to make the following points:

  1. Those arrested include both Muslims and Jews and their arrests followed an extensive under cover operation. Members of the group are said to have been active under an organizational hierarchy. They have been charged with espionage and acting against the national security of Iran. The investigation and the arrest of the individuals concerned have been carried out irrespective of the religious belief or ethnicity of the suspects.
  2. That the suspects were arrested as a result of Iranian domestic politics is merely to sensationalize the case. Notwithstanding variances of opinion in Iranian domestic politics, it must be underlined that there exists a solid consensus on issues of national security.
  3. To call for the release of arrested suspects, out of good intention or otherwise, before they are even tried, only because some of them happen to be Jewish is absurd and irresponsible.

It may be pointed out that friends and foes have acknowledged that the relations between the Iranian Jewish community and the State has traditionally been good and cordial. The recent overreaction in certain quarters in this case, is feared to be an attempt to disturb that. The statement of 14 June 1999 by the Jewish religious and political leaders in Iran also bears upon this point and "condemns the recent hype...whose aim is nothing but to pursue a policy of enmity and hostility with the Islamic republic of Iran and its people". In a statement on 13 June 1999, President Khatami referred to the freedom of all religions and minorities in Iran and said that he is responsible for protecting every single member of any religion who lives in Iran and acceptes the system of the Islamic Republic.

The Islamic Republic of Iran underlines that such interference in the domestic affairs of Iran and its legal system is totally unacceptable and would not allow that to influence the case in question. Upon completion of the investigation, all arrested suspects will receive a fair trial in accordance with due process of law.

 

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