Iran summoned the German ambassador, whose country holds the rotating Presidency of the EU Council, and the French ambassador on Sunday 13 December, following Europe’s condemnation of the execution of the Iranian journalist Rouhollah Zam.
The latter had been found guilty of playing a role in the wave of protests that affected dozens of Iranian cities between 28 December 2017 and 3 January 2018.
The day before, the spokesman for the European External Action Service had condemned the execution by hanging “in the strongest possible terms”.
Recalling the EU’s opposition to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances, the spokesperson stressed that it was also “imperative” that the Iranian authorities respect the due process rights of the accused and stop using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt.
The EU called on the country to refrain from further executions and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty.
In retaliation for Mr Zam’s execution, France, Germany, Austria and Italy cancelled the participation of their ambassadors in the EU-Iran Business Forum, scheduled for 14-16 December, online, and the EEAS requested that the EU High Representative’s pre-recorded video be withheld. The Forum was eventually postponed. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)