MPs Condemn Freezing Of Iranian Assets In Canada

Tehran, Nov 7, IRNA – A number of Iranian MPs on Tuesday denounced freezing of Iranian assets in Canada by the Canadian government and stressed the need to pursue the case through international circles. According to IRNA, a court in Canada issued a decree to freeze the Iranian properties in the country including the embassy and former Iranian cultural office in a bid to pay in compensation to the family of a victim of bombing accident in Beit ul-Moqaddas. Talking to IRNA, the legislators described the move by the Canadian court as being against the international laws and urged relevant officials to file a complaint against the court with the international forums. Fatemeh Aliya, an MP from Tehran said that the move contravenes the international conventions and it should be pursued through international organizations. She also called on Foreign Ministry to lodge a complaint to that effect in a bid to get the Iranian nation's assets back. Another MP from Tehran, Ray, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr, Mehdi Kouchakzadeh termed the move as illogical and ridiculous, saying that the westerners used to issued such decrees from the beginning. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast condemned the measure taken by the Canadian government, saying that the Canadian court ruling is against UN Charter. Safeguarding the governments' properties in other states is the main pillar of international relationships and if such moves are allowed, the international order will be disrupted. Marla Bennet, 24, was killed in Hebrew University bombing in 2002 and a court in the US held Hamas responsible for the incident. Claiming that Hamas is being supported by Iran, the Canadian court demanded Iran pay $12,904,548 in compensation to the victim's family. Since the US did not issue a ruling to that effect, the Canadian court order the blockade of the Iranian assets in Ottawa and its former cultural office in Toronto./end