Region | Iran
Australia withdraws threat to take Ahmadinejad to court
Australia on Wednesday withdrew a threat to take the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the International Court of Justice for inciting violence against Israel.
- AP
- Published: 11:54 October 15, 2008
Canberra: Australia on Wednesday withdrew a threat to take Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the International Court of Justice for inciting violence against Israel.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government had mulled over the option for months before deciding that a trial could distract attention from international efforts to end Iran's nuclear programme.
"We determined to avoid pursuing a case which would give further profile to these obscene remarks," Smith told parliament.
"Most importantly, the Australian government would not want such legal action to complicate or distract from the international community's efforts to address the serious concerns about Iran's nuclear programme," he said.
The government said in May it was considering bringing a case against Ahmadinejad for repeatedly making anti-Semitic statements and his calling for Israel to be wiped off the map.
Smith also announced that Australia had extended financial and trade sanctions against Iran to include 20 Iranian individuals and 18 organisations which contribute to that country's nuclear and missile programmes.
The government would also stop funding trade promotions between the two countries, he said.
The sanctions are aimed at Iran's refusal to obey UN Security Council resolutions by suspending uranium enrichment and reprocessing.
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