Bonn (Germany), July 13 (DPA) Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi called Monday for European nations to open direct talks with Tehran rather than criticise its policies from afar.
“They would be able to prove this way that they are not just paying lip service to human rights but acting in pursuit of them,” said Ebadi in Bonn during a visit to the offices of the broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Ebadi, a known critic of the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also suggested that European nations to withdraw their ambassadors from Teheran and continue relations at consular level if the Iranian leadership still would not change its approach.

Ebadi said she opposes economic sanctions against Iran, as they would “only hurt the people”, whereas political sanctions could weaken the leadership.

She added that all supplies of military material to Iran should cease.

She said Teheran had yet to agree to let in a United Nations delegation appointed to study possible rights breaches during the crackdown on protests since the controversial June 12 presidential election.

Ebadi slammed the conditions of detention of the demonstrators, saying, “They are not granted any contact with lawyers or relatives. They are kept in isolation.”

The number of detentions was much higher than stated by the government, added Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. She said this could be proved by photographs and video.

“The acts of violence by the government side are not in conformity with the constitution or with Islam,” Ebadi said.