Due to be executed tomorrow.

[Alouiseg]

for adultery

"I, for one, would like the same applied to the Iranian authorities here."

I don't think that the Iranians expelled anyone, we chose to reduce our diplomatic presence there. Our plan was that that would make life awkward and there would be internal pressure to improve relations with the UK.

The "same" would be the Iranians choosing to withdraw from the UK, which they're unlikely to do.

If we actually expel their diplomats then that is not the "same" and is the sort of thing that is going to escalate into a nasty tit-for-tat type thing.

The Iranian Government would probably quite welcome that happening as then they can say "see they have no wish to be diplomatic with us, their solution to our problems with them is clearly going to be military!"

We need diplomatic relations with Iran right now more than they need them with us, we're desperately trying to resolve the nuclear issue.

"Childish yes but how else do you respond to a country like that."

And that is the quandary that the west is in right now, likewise with North Korea which is notably higher up the scale of evil than Iran, but still below Chris de Burgh.

Yes we need diplomatic relations right now - quite a few of our friends have had their families torn apart by the situation in the last few years.

Iran had no sense of diplomacy so why play their game?

I'm assuming you are Iranian?

Chris de Burgh - lol! Liking it.

I'm very uninterested in Iran or surrounding countries as my folks are from many countries worldwide but not from there. However, having worked in ID and having numerous friends from Iran I do not see how the West's approach has any benefitical influence - so just get rid of the Iranian diplomats and keep the status quo.
Yes we left Iran as because local employees were targeted. All diplomatic missions require local employees and they are not usually targeted.

Aha, I've just been shouting about this over here.

What time are they going to do it if they go through with it?

"Iran had no sense of diplomacy so why play their game?"

Because our only other options are to leave them to it or to use force. Neither of which we want, so we have to keep talking.

The Iranians on the other hand are somewhat less fussed about talking and are actually quite keen on the west turning bully boy as that plays very well with their audience at home.

Quite simply we need to talk to them more than they need to talk to us. And if the west is not cutting diplomatic ties over an alleged nuclear program and the alleged funding and support of "terror" in the region then they are not going to cut them over the execution of somebody. Especially when, as said above, doing that would enable the Iranian regime to whip up even more anti-Western sentiment and make the other situations worse.

"so just get rid of the Iranian diplomats and keep the status quo."

But that's not the status quo, it's about as far from it as you can get. To "get rid" of the Iranian diplomats is major escalation of the trouble with Iran and pretty much slams the door to a peaceful resolution of the problems while simultaneously empowering the Iranian Government.

They didn't kick anyone out but they arrested local staff so foreign staff ran. My best friend's husband tried for a long time time to get a visa to visit her here. Waste of time as his application couldn't be processed in Iran due the lack of staff (some arrested) and they were not told that his application had been sent to another country for processing.

No need for Uk to talk to them. What good does it do? If they want to talk let them talk.

What problems are you talking about?human rights ones? Well lots of countries do not come near to adhering to anything like human rights. No news there.

Badgers - my point it that diplomatic relations have certain rules - they've been broken.why not get rid of their diplomats (not arrest local ones) just make things more even.

Foreign calls have no voice in Iran - if they want to murder this woman they will. It's a sovereign country and they will do as they wish.

What exactly is your point?

Whats happening to this poor woman is disgraceful, but as an opponent figure to a totalitarian regime (whether she wants to be or not), she will be made an example of.

The only hope is that the regime realise making her a propaganda puppet is worth more to them in the long run making than making her a global martyr.
With their backs against the wall internally and externally, you fear they'll take the usual rejectionary* approach out fear of being seen to be weak in the face of global opinion.

The argument then is do groups like this help? Unless they can offer this regime something that legitimises their change of face (which would be morally corrupt), all they do is run a red rag in their, when whats needed is to give moderates within the regime breathing space to win an argument against making a martyr of her (moderate fascists of course... the nicer kind) .

• not a real word, but does help convey the child like immature policy or philosophy of rejection & reaction that government's follow when they're asked to stop doing something that they know is morally wrong. It's my ball and I'm taking it home!

"What exactly is your point?"

My point is that there is a need for us to talk to them about various issues and problems.

The problems that I'm talking about are Iran's nuclear program and it's involvement in insurrection in the region. So matters to do with International relations not internal issues.

Leaving diplomats in place gives some chance of sorting out this things.

If we do what you want, kick out the diplomats, then we have no chance of sorting out the issues. Not only that but the Iranian Government has "confirmation" for the people of Iran that the west has no interest in diplomatic resolutions.

So what's better?

"Some chance" or "no chance and making the situation worse"?

And that is why the western Governments haven't kicked out Iranian diplomats and why we're not likely to see them do so until things are a lot bleaker than they are right now.

er, forgot to say that what I posted was copied from dh's email back to me when I forwarded it to him.

There is very little we can do unfortunately. If we stopped talking to all countrys that didn't give fair trials before executing people, theres barely anybody in Africa or Asia that we would talk to.

Badger but Iran won't listen. It likes the international outcries on this and that and then likes to go ahead and do it's own thing anyhow. Shows its power.

I reckon the more the international community talks to them about HR the more it goes the other way. In terms of nuclear capability I doubt very much the foreign diplomats in Iran have much of voice at all.

It's not a nice scenario - but what can the opposing voices do right now for the people in that country or for the impact of their nuclear programme in the region?

Keep talking. Good to talk but in the meantime the authorities are doing their own thing regardless.

Poor lady and poor family - one of many injustices in the world.

"Badger but Iran won't listen"

Well sometimes they do, sometimes, but most of the time you're right.

At least there's a chance that talking might give some resolution. And also there's the hope that it continues to prove to the people of Iran that the west is interested in dialogue.

"Keep talking. Good to talk"

So you now agree that we shouldn't kick their diplomats out?

Kicking them out will stop the talking.

No - I think talking isn't working -but I can't see any other way out.

Talking isn't working and it won't. The people in the meantime are suffering.

Hoping the great and the good will come up will thing of another solution.

No I don't agree now that their representation here should stay.

People of Iran know the world is talking.

"No I don't agree now that their representation here should stay."

But as said that will make things much much worse.

You say you "can't see any other way out" but talking yet if you expel their diplomats their won't be any talking.

And what about the repercussions of an expulsion?

It will strengthen the position of the Iranian Government. They claim that we, the west, have no interest in diplomacy and if you have your way they'll be proved absolutely right. The Government will claim a major PR coup, people will rally to it and the suffering will continue.

So amid all that harm, damage and the removal of any possible diplomatic success what good do you believe cutting diplomatic ties would do? The only beneficiary will be the Iranian Government and the losers would be everybody else including the Iranian people.

The Governments of the West thankfully seem to agree that cutting diplomatic relations is a last and desperate measure that will do far more harm than good.

Signed.

This is truly disgusting.

bump and another link to the petition for those that haven't seen it

Bump - and Amnesty also have a letter you can send online to protest, link is here

Should add it looks like nothing has happened so far, but she is still very much in danger...