TEHRAN A member of the British House of Lords, Lord Alton, in a 2-hour speech before the British Parliament bluntly criticized the human rights situation in Iran and referred to certain allegations made by the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO).

In an interview, Masoud Shajara, head of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, elucidated on the British MP's statements: "Lord Alton has had a long relationship with the MKO. The MKO has launched a propaganda campaign in England for years and have taken a number of people under its influence. The problem is, we couldn't have introduced the MKO to political and press circles the way it really is."

He continued: "Another problem is that there are those who are afraid of Islam and their opinions originate from their fears and enmity toward Islam. They know the situation -- that the MKO has caused killings not only in Iran but also in Iraq.

"No one doubts that the MKO is a terrorist organization and when someone comes up in support of the MKO's alleged support for human rights, it is a source of concern. It also shows how much they hate Islamic groups and Iran."

Asked about an issue raised by Alton that Iran is guilty of mistreatment of its minorities, Shajara said: "The situation of minorities in Iran is much better than their counterparts in other Middle Eastern countries or even in Europe. Those who make such accusations against Iran and the rights of minorities living there are those who do not themselves care about the rights of Palestinians or other Muslims living in Europe as minorities."

Relating to the remarks of an English archbishop who came out in support of Iran and the Islamic government, Shajara said: "We ought to organize a powerful advertising team for Islam that will work to make it known all over the world. The team should be knowledgeable on the West as well as on Islam and can thus sponsor Islam in the West and remove many misunderstandings. The archbishop was said to have remarked that Western governments find it difficult to understand Iranians since they do not have a clear understanding of what an Islamic country is all about.