§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last made representations to the Government of Iran concerning the conduct of the trial of 13 Jews accused of spying for Israel. [126441]
§ Mr. HainThis Government and our EU colleagues have raised with the Iranians at every appropriate opportunity our concerns about the trial on espionage charges in Shiraz of 13 Jews and eight Moslems. Iran is aware of the importance that we and our EU partners attach to this issue.
Most recently the Director for Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised the issue with the Iranian Ambassador on 1 June and the EU Presidency in Tehran presented demarches on behalf of all EU partners to the Iranian authorities on 29 April and 23 May.
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the situation of members of the Jewish community in Shiraz who are undergoing the legal process in Iran; what recent representations he has made to the Iranian Government concerning this case; and if he will make a statement. [126522]
§ Mr. HainI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs. Ellman) today,Official Report, column 16W.
In addition, it has been reported that all the defendants have now appeared before the court and that defence statements have been lodged. We understand that two legal questions need to be resolved, following which, according to Iranian law, verdicts should be pronounced within one week.