DW visit

Shirin Ebadi used her three-day visit to Deutsche Welle to criticize the human rights abuses, which she says have occurred in Iran following the country's disputed June 12 presidential election. Her comments were picked up by a number of German broadcasters, as well as many German newspapers. But it seems that German media were not the only ones listening: Conservative Iranian media have now attacked Ebadi for the statements she made while at Deutsche Welle.

"Feigning interest"

Iran's official news agency, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), writes that Shirin Ebadi has assumed the view of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, feigning in unison with her concerns about freedom and civil rights in Iran. IRNA adds that on the other hand, Ebadil like other Western media, remains silent about "murders committed by the Zionists and occupiers of Palastine." It also accuses her of being silent about the "suffering of the poor people in Afghanistan and thousands of prisoners in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and Baghram."

IRNA continues: "When Ebadi aligns herself with the Europeans and other Western nations, and criticizes and condemns the Iranian government, she provides the Western media with luxurious gifts."

Iranian Internet news agency Raja News linked Ebadi's statements to the fatal shooting of Neda Agha Soltan, the young female student whose face became a symbol of the anti-government protests.

Raja News writes: "Following the unlawful killing of our beloved citizen Neda by British agents in Iran, Mrs Ebadi was one of those who published a letter, in unison with dishonest media like Deutsche Welle and the BBC, accusing the Iranian government of being involved in this incident."

Comments misreported

During her press conference at Deutsche Welle, Ebadi spoke out clearly against economic sanctions on Iran, saying these hurt only the Iranian population. But Bultan News, another Iranian Internet news agency, reported that Ebadi had in fact said the opposite.

Bultan News quoted Ebadi as saying: "If negotiations with Iran do not result in democracy, then Western countries should impose sanctions on Iran." It also quoted her as saying that "negotiations are always the best approach - but we can't go on negotiating forever."

Such attacks are part of the stardard reperatoire of Iran's conservative media. Over the past few years, President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has used the dispute over Iran's nuclear program to distract the population from the country's economic problems and maintain their support.

The election of US President Barack Obama has robbed Ahmedinejad of his favorite enemy, George W. Bush. The diputed Iranian presidential election and the use of violence to put down protests there have further weakened him politically. Now the Iranian leadership is apparently seeking to make up lost ground by creating new public enemies. Among those in their sights, apart from Britain and France, is Germany.

So far, this strategy hasn't been successful. Criticism of the election continues in Iran itself. The protests are continuing even though the government has, through the use and threat of violence, managed to keep the demonstrators off the streets.

Author: Jamsheed Faroughi / Sybille Golte (ca)

Editor: Chuck Penfold