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Iran Sentences U.S. Journalist to 8 Years
WSN Network 

TEHRAN: Throwing a spanner into the works of a fledgling thaw in Iran-American relations, an Iranian-American journalist, Roxana Saberi, has been convicted to eight years in prison by an Iranian court on charges of spying for the United States.

While the Obama administration has been making continuous efforts to reach out to the Iranian administration, even largely overlooking President Ahmedinejad’s recent negative comments against Jews and Israel at a United Nations conference in Geneva, the latest move by Iran came as a bolt from the blue.

The U.S. state department called the charges against Saberi, 31, baseless and has asked for her release. But Iranian officials have remained adamant; some critics are of the view, under pressure from the hard line elements in Iranian polity. 

The sentencing could also complicate political maneuvering between Iranian and American leaders over Iran’s nuclear program, an issue that kept relations icy during much of the Bush administration. Obama has recently made overtures to Tehran about starting a dialogue over the nuclear program, to which Ahmadinejad has responded positively.

Saberi’s sentencing sets the case apart from other recent detentions of people with dual citizenship. Earlier, two Iranian-American scholars were arrested in 2007 and accused of trying to overthrow the government, but were released on bail before their trials began.

On Monday, the chief of Iran’s judiciary said that he had ordered a “careful, quick and fair” consideration of an appeal of the conviction.

22 April 2009
 

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