France, other European countries withdraw from business forum over Ruhollah Zam execution

Iran's execution of Ruhollah Zam has sparked outrage from Europe. (AFP/File)

• Organizers of the Europe-Iran business forum later said they were postponing the event

PARIS: France said on Sunday its ambassador to Iran would not participate in an online business forum in Tehran this week, in a growing row between Iran and European nations over the execution of Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam.
Other envoys from Germany, Austria and Italy were also canceling their involvement in the Dec. 14 event, the French foreign ministry said on Twitter. At the foot of its tweet, the ministry ran the hashtag #nobusinessasusual.
In a separate statement, organizers of the Europe-Iran business forum later said they were postponing the event.
Meanwhile, US President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that Zam’ execution was a “horrifying human rights violation.”
“Iran’s execution of Ruhollah Zam, a journalist who was denied due process and sentenced for exercising his universal rights, is another horrifying human rights violation by the Iranian regime. We will join our partners in calling out and standing up to Iran’s abuses,” Sullivan posted on Twitter.
Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the envoys from France and from Germany, current holder of the European Union’s rotating presidency, to protest over French and EU criticism of the execution on Saturday, Iranian media reported.
France on Saturday called Zam’s execution “barbaric and unacceptable,” and said it ran counter to Iran’s international obligations. Zam had been based in Paris before he was captured in Iraq and taken to Iran.
Zam was convicted of fomenting violence during anti-government protests in 2017. His Amadnews feed had more than 1 million followers.
France and its European allies have strived to keep alive a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, in part to save the Iranian economy from collapse, while confronting US efforts to kill the accord.
The new friction over human rights comes as US President-elect Joe Biden, who is set to take office on Jan. 20, has said he will return the United States to the Obama-era deal if Iran resumes compliance with the agreement.
The EU also strongly condemned Zam’s execution, as did Amnesty International and press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Iranian officials have accused the United States, as well as Tehran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia and government opponents living in exile, of stoking the unrest that began in late 2017 as regional protests over economic hardship spread nationwide.
Officials said 21 people were killed during the unrest and thousands were arrested. The unrest was among the worst Iran has seen in decades, and was followed by even deadlier protests last year against fuel price rises.