Oslo, March
8, 2010 – On 24 February, the Norwegian Ambassador in
Teheran was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. During
the meeting he was given an official note and a letter
addressed to Foreign Minister Støre, in which Iran protested
against Norway having granted asylum to Mohammed Reza
Heydari.
At the same
meeting, the Iranian authorities requested that a Norwegian
diplomat should leave Iran. The reason given for this was
that Mr Heydari had been granted asylum in Norway.
Norway has
reacted strongly to the Iranian authorities’ request that a
Norwegian diplomat should leave Teheran because of an asylum
matter in Norway. “This is a totally unacceptable reaction
on the part of Iran. The right to seek asylum is enshrined
in international law,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr
Støre.
Mr Heydari’s
asylum application has been assessed on an individual basis,
and the competent immigration authorities have concluded
that he fulfils the requirements for being granted asylum in
Norway.
The Ministry
of Foreign Affairs has repudiated Iran’s protests in a note
and a letter to the Iranian Foreign Minister, as well as at
a meeting with the Iranian chargé d’affaires in Oslo. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also requested that an
Iranian diplomat should leave Norway.
|
