The Iranian Embassy in Bucharest has voiced hope that Romania can use its national authority to contribute to a peaceful solution of any differences between Iran and Europe, according to Agerpres.

„Iran has always been prepared to engage in good faith and constructive manner to resolve the differences in a peaceful manner. To the contrary, Iran has proved to be allergic to any unlawful intervention and intimidation. We hope Romania can use its national authority as well as through EU format to contribute to a peaceful solution for any differences between Iran and Europe, both regarding human rights as well as any other mutually agreed issues,” reads a press statement released by the embassy on Wednesday.

The statement comes as Iran’s ambassador to Romania Sadat Meidani was summoned on Tuesday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with one of the subjects discussed being the execution by hanging in Iran of two local protesters on January 7.

„It is fully recognized in international law that governments have the right to bring persons involved in violent crimes into justice. Iran and Romania are both parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966. This instrument expressly states that in countries that have not abolished the death penalty, a sentence of death may be imposed. According to Iranian criminal law, capital punishment could be rendered, as in many other countries,” the embassy’s statement reads.

According to the embassy, „the capital punishment sentences have been rendered and implemented with full scrutiny and are related to persons who have been involved in committing serious crimes, and were issued in accordance with applicable procedural and substantive laws.”

The diplomatic mission statement maintain that the two men who were executed were convicted for murder and acting violently against the national security.

According to Romania’s Foreign Ministry (MAE), the Iranian ambassador in Bucharest was officially informed about Romania’s firm condemnation of the capital punishment being used under any circumstances, and even more reprehensibly, of the execution by hanging of protesters by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Agerpres