Iranian paper reports arrest of 13 Jews in Iran
TEHRAN, June 9 (AFP) - A conservative Iranian newspaper that is close
to the country's judiciary implicitly confirmed Wednesday reports that
13 Jews had been arrested in southern Iran Iran for spying.
"The arrest of 13 Iranian Jews in Shiraz for espionage has provoked
strong reactions by US and Israeli officials," the Ressalat evening
paper reported.
The Iranian government has made no official comment on Israeli reports
that 13 rabbis had been arrested in Shiraz and Esfahan two months ago.
The Israeli foreign ministry said Tuesday that Tehran had broadcast
news on Monday evening of the arrests.
"Israel is very concerned about the fate of these 13 people who
were arrested because they were Jewish, and asks that they be freed,"
it said in a statement.
But an Iranian state radio official denied that his station had announced
the arrests.
"There is no internal source (in Iran) for this report," the
official told AFP. "Iranian radio simply mentioned a claim made by
the radio of the Zionist regime."
Charges of espionage, in particular on behalf of Israel which Iran
regards as a deadly enemy, could carry the death sentence.
The US State Department described the arrests as "very disturbing"
and demanded the safe release of those held.
Last month, the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France
(CRIF) reported that 22 Jews had recently been arrested in Iran.
The Association of Iranian Jews in Israel called on Paris to use its
influence with Tehran. "France is the best placed government to secure
the release of these Jews because of the good relations between Paris and
Tehran," it said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has agreed to inquire
into the fate of Iranian Jews arrested in January, CRIF chairman Henri
Hajdenberg said in Geneva on Tuesday.
Iran and Israel had excellent relations under the Shah, but broke off
ties after the Islamic revolution in 1979.
Tehran regards Israel as an "illegitimate entity."
Many Iranian Jews fled the country after the revolution, leaving a
community currently put at about 27,000.
However, Judaism is recognised as an official minority religion along
with Christianity and Zoroastrianism.
Iranian Jews have one member of parliament and a number of places of
worship.
Links
