Jul 23, 2003, 9:53 PM

Iran Warns U.S., UK About Arrest of IRIB Reporters

TEHRAN, July 23 (Mehr News Agency) – President Mohammad Khatami said here on Wednesday that Iran has warned the U.S. and Britain over the arrest of Iranian reporters in Iraq, stressing that the Iranian government is carefully following up the issue.

Khatami told the Mehr News Agency that he was sorry to hear the news of the arrest of the reporters, adding that he had ordered the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and the Foreign Ministry to "seriously" follow up the case.

U.S. troops on July 1 arrested two reporters, an interpreter, and a driver from Channel 2 of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) near the southern town of Diwaniyah as they were filming a documentary on the life of Iraqis during the occupation.

The president also stated that Iran has always tried to guarantee the safety of both Iranian and non-Iranian reporters, adding that if an incident similar to the death of Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi happens to the reporters, Tehran will "definitely" follow up the issue.

"We recognize no difference between Iranian and foreign reporters. I hereby declare that more tolerance must be exercised in dealing with reporters, students, and intellectuals. And if there is any breach of the law, the offenders must be dealt with through constitutional means," Khatami said.

Meanwhile, the director of IRIB Channel 2, Moshiri, said that the IRIB Department of International Affairs is making serious efforts to obtain information about the matter.

“As soon as U.S. forces confirmed the arrest, measures were taken by IRIB and the Foreign Ministry, with no results yet.

”In the meantime, we have their given photos and relevant documents to several international news agencies and TV networks to assist us in obtaining information on the case, if there is any,” added Moshiri.

Iranian artists and documentary makers have sent a letter protesting the arrests to the British and Swiss embassies in Tehran.

“The two have dedicated their lives to artistic work, choosing Iraq as the location for a documentary, but in return anxiety is experienced by their families, friends, and society because of their detention” a part of the letter read.

Aboutaleb, 35, works at the IRIB and had directed several programs including “AIDS”, “Life for You”, “Blue Life of the Persian Gulf”, and “Wide Open Eyes”.

Karimi, 31, has been worked as a reporter and researcher with Aboutaleb on “Story of Fat’h”, and “Everywhere Is Karbala”.

AA/HG

End

MNA

News ID 875