Brazil president says asylum offer to adulterous Iran woman is humanitarian gesture

RIO DE JANEIRO - The decision to give refuge to a convicted Iranian woman should be seen as a humanitarian act without political motives, said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

“I made the offer for humanitarianism, instead of politics,” Xinhua quoted da Silva, as saying while referring to the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43, who has been convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.

Her case has triggered the world’s attention, prompting Iran to suspend the stoning sentence.

Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman of the Iran’s foreign relations minister, however, has rejected Lula’s offer, saying Iran considered Lula as “an emotional person who probably had not received enough information about the case”.

Lula, however, said he was indeed an emotional man and reaffirmed his willingness to talk with Iran on this case. (ANI)