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PARIS - An Iranian opposition group said on Sunday it planned a week of demonstrations in Paris to protest against Iranian President Mohamed Khatami's visit to France in mid-April.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran said the protests, to be staged by Iranians living in Paris, would begin on Monday and include the families of Iranian political prisoners and of individuals killed by the Iranian authorities.
A larger demonstration is planned for April 12, the group said.
French and Iranian diplomats say a
specific date for Khatami's visit has not yet been set.
Supporters of Iranian Resistance Protest Khatami's Visit to France, Agence France Presse, March 26
THE HAGUE - About forty people demonstrated outside the French Embassy in The Hague on Friday to protest the proposed visit of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami to France, provisionally set for April.
French President Jacques Chirac invited Khatami to France when Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharaz visited Paris in February.
Three representatives of the National Council of Resistance (NCR) handed over a petition calling on the French and other governments to boycott this "medieval dictatorship", both politically and economically.
The protesters shouted slogans and bore banners saying "Khatami is a Murderer" and "Don't Sacrifice Human Rights for Trade Ties".
They believe the regime is responsible for violations of human rights, including unlawful executions, assassinations abroad and stoning.
The NCR claim that there have been 320 public executions, 28 assassinations abroad, and 9 public stoning under Khatami's leadership.
"The meeting with Khatami gives the
impression that he is democratic. We want the French government to condemn
violations of human rights," a spokeswoman said.
Top Judge Threatens Crackdown on Rival Faction, Reuters, March 26
TEHRAN - The conservative head of Iran's judiciary on Friday threatened a crackdown on critics and the press, accusing them of seeking to undermine Islam and the 1979 Islamic revolution.
"There is no freedom for you to write and say anything you like. Our people do not want such freedom if it is against the tenets of Islam," Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi said in a sermon at Tehran University.
"The ruling institutions are overseen and they will take action when necessary and will not listen to what others say," he said.
"Don't come out tomorrow and ask why you were not warned in advance. Don't cry out when we arrest someone."
Yazdi was referring to last month's arrest of cleric Mohsen Kadivar on charges of undermining Islam and the revolution in his writings and speeches.
Yazdi often accuses the culture ministry, headed by Ataollah Mohajerani, of giving a free rein to secular intellectuals.
Yazdi sharply criticized Mohajerani for honoring a group of secular writers early this month for their works after the revolution.
"The culture ministry is not qualified
to rule on tenets of Islam," he said.
Mullah's Supreme Leader Denounces US As "Terrorist", Agence France Presse, March 26
TEHRAN - Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced the United States as a "terrorist" in a message to Iranian pilgrims during the high point of their pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, Iranian radio reported.
Thousands of the pilgrims also chanted slogans hostile to the United States and Iran's other arch-enemy Israel as part of their annual protest during the Moslem holy journey, known as the hajj.
In a message read by Khamenei's personal representative to the hajj and broadcast over loudspeakers to the Iranian faithful, Khamenei said "the United States wants to put us on the defensive over human rights, women's rights, or support for terrorism."
"But the American regime is far more of a terrorist than any other terrorist in the world. It is the champion of human rights violations, especially the rights of women in the United States."
He accused the United States of waging a "cultural war" against Iran, particularly against the Islamic republic's youth.
The radio reported that thousands of Iranian pilgrims had carried out their annual rally against Israel and the United States known as the "Disavowal of Pagans."