Netherlands freezes ties with Iran over hanging

TEHRAN: The Netherlands has frozen official contacts with Iran after an Iranian-Dutch woman was hanged for drug trafficking on Saturday, Iran's Ambassador to Amsterdam Kazem Gharibabadi said, state-run Press TV reported.

Gharibabadi advised the Dutch officials to "respect Iran's internal laws and avoid meddling in the country's ruling affairs." He added that, since Iran does not recognize double-nationality, they did not have any legal commitment to listen to the Dutch side.

Bahrami, an alleged member of an international drug trafficking ring, used her Dutch connections to smuggle cocaine to Iran. Authorities found 450 grams of cocaine and 420 grams of opium during a search of her house.

In recent weeks, there have been media reports that Bahrami was arrested for participating in anti-government protests in 2009.

But Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast described the allegations as a pretext to exert pressure on the country. He also advised the West to realize that if the issue of combating drug trafficking is not taken seriously, it will directly affect their own youth who will be entrapped by drug traffickers.

Iran says more than 4,000 Iranian police officers have been killed in the fight against drug trafficking in recent years.

(BNO NEWS )