Ottawa accuses Tehran of banning observers from Kazemi murder trial

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2004

MONTREAL (AFP) — The Iranian government intends to block observers from the trial of the man accused of murdering Iranian-Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi, Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham said.

The Iranians "were supposed to get back to us last weekend," Graham told the Toronto Star.

"They haven't gotten back to us. We assume their intention is not to accept observers" at the trial, which is set to resume on Saturday, he added, warning that there would be repercussions for Tehran.

Iranian intelligence agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi faces murder charges a year after Kazemi died while in police custody in Tehran.

Graham wrote to his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharazi on June 25, saying that "progress in the Kazemi case has an impact on...