Iran says France’s pleas on national are ‘unjustified’

TEHRAN (IRNA) – Iran on Wednesday dismissed as “unjustified” pleas by Paris that French national Clotilde Reiss would not be taken into prison when she attends the court for the last time to defend herself.

Clotilde Reiss, a post-election convict in Iran, is awaiting a verdict.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told France Inter radio that Reiss, who is now in the French embassy in Tehran, will not turn up in court unless she receives assurances that she can remain there pending the verdict.

Mehmanparast said conditioning presence of the French national at the court on receiving guarantees from Iran is a blatant violation of the formal and written commitments of the French government for her accessibility in the course of the judicial proceedings.

“This is not at all justifiable,” Mehmanparast said in a press release.

“Naturally French officials’ insistence to raise unjustified calls and question Iran’s judicial sovereignty would entail unfavorable conditions which would harm Iranian judicial officials’ trust in the honesty of French officials with respect to the commitments undertaken by the French Embassy in Tehran,” the spokesman explained.

To this end, French officials and French Embassy staff have officially been informed repeatedly that based on the announcements of the judicial authorities, the charges raised against Ms. Clotilde Reiss have been based on clear evidences and documents, he said.

“So, she will not be acquitted under political pressures and no one can make decisions for the judge in charge of the case.”

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