October 04-2013
There has been a great deal of discussion this past week about Iran’s nuclear program, but no mention in Washington of Iran’s human rights record.
Some fear the human rights issue may be shoved over he edge in the effort to reach a settlement on the nuclear topic.
Canada, however, is harping anew on the rights issue and seems to fear Washington may drop the ball. (See story on Page Three.)
The only reference the Iran Times saw to a human rights issue this past week was President Obama’s statement that he appealed in his phone conversation with President Rohani for the release of the three Americans detained in Iran. But that is more a bilateral issue and did not get at the heart of the Islamic Republic’s rights challenges.
The third issue that Washington has previously put at the top of its Iran agenda has been terrorism, chiefly Iran’s support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. That also got only passing mention this past week.
