Zarif's Response to Critics of His Remarks: My Statements Were About Jason Rezaian

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, responded to criticism of his comments that 'no one in Iran is imprisoned for expressing their opinion' by stating that his remarks were in response to a question about the detention of Jason Rezaian, a detained Washington Post reporter in Iran. In an interview with Charlie Rose, the famous American journalist and host, Zarif said: 'We do not imprison anyone in Iran for their opinion and views.' He also clarified in response to a question regarding Jason Rezaian's case that 'those who commit crimes and violate the laws of the country cannot hide behind the fact that they are journalists or political activists. People must respect the law.' Zarif's statements sparked widespread reactions, especially on social media. On Friday, April 30, Zarif described the wave of criticism from inside and outside Iran as 'strange' and wrote on his Facebook page: 'A group of compatriots inside and outside have taken my clear, precise, and necessary response to a question about a journalist — whose situation has recently become an excuse for several amendments in the U.S. Senate against the nuclear deal — and turned it into lengthy articles on this matter, while some friends have also graciously criticized me without hearing the question and answer!' Jason Rezaian, an Iranian-American citizen who worked as the Washington Post's bureau chief in Iran, was arrested last year. The Fars News Agency reported in April that the charges against Jason Rezaian were 'espionage' and 'acts against national security.' In his writing, Zarif advised his critics: 'The prerequisite for fair judgment is accurate information. At least once before writing lengthy critiques, listen to the remarks you are criticizing.' He added: 'The necessity of respecting national interests also requires that we do not pour water into the mill of foreign warmongers who have used my refusal to go to the front, the detention of a rogue ship, or the arrest of one or more individuals as an excuse to continue tension and crisis.' Despite Zarif's assertion in the interview with Charlie Rose that 'those who commit crimes' cannot hide behind the mask of journalism, these remarks have provoked widespread reactions. Among them, Bahman Ahmadi Amoui, a journalist who spent five years in prison after 2009, reacted to Mohammad Javad Zarif's statements on his blog. He referred to the 'interrogation and psychological and physical torture' during his detention and wrote: 'I testify that just as Ahmadinejad and other judicial and political officials have lied about this, the Rouhani government and its foreign minister are also lying in this regard.' Mr. Ahmadi Amoui also called for the full text of his verdict and case to be published, adding: 'In this case, it will be clear who is lying, and other officials of the Islamic Republic will not have difficulty finding suitable words and sentences in such cases.'