Mullahs' Judiciary: Fatwa against Rushdie remains in force

Three days after the meeting between mullahs' Foreign Minister and British Foreign Secretary, the clerical regime's Judiciary noted "the ballyhoo by news organization of the World Arrogance about the apostate Salman Rushdie," and declared that "the decree by the late Imam has not changed and is addressed to the Islamic ummah (nation)."

It becomes clear that as far as the theocratic regime ruling Iran is concerned, the Cook-Kharrazi deal in devoid of any political, legal and practical value.

In another development, last night, the clerical regime's news media quoted Foreign Office Spokesman Mark Kent as saying: "No reference was made to rescinding the fatwa against Salman Rushdie in the agreement last week between the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Britain's Foreign Secretary... The British government has clearly understood that the Iranian Foreign Ministry or government cannot revoke the fatwa. Nevertheless, similar to other European Union members, Britain seeks to expand its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

These remarks demonstrate that the Cook-Kharrazi agreement last week was but a dirty deal which sacrificed recognized human rights principles before economic interests. The deal was struck at the expense of the Iranian people and Resistance. In order to make up for its retard in striking deals with this illegitimate regime, the British government has hastily retreated from its previous positions.

The state-run daily Ressalat wrote in its editorial yesterday: "The Rushdie affair will only end by killing him and the publishers of the Satanic Verses... Now, the time is ripe as never before to carry out the fatwa." The editorial added, "No government can provide any letter of immunity to the government of Britain on behalf of Muslim nations. London's assurances that Rushdie is secure lack any credibility.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
September 29, 1998

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