WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The United States has told Iran it will continue to closely follow actions against Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi.
The U.S. comments, issued Thursday by the State Department, followed media reports that Iranian authorities have threatened to arrest Ebadi if she fails to appear before a revolutionary court.
Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace prize in 2003, told reporters in Tehran that the summons simply said she must appear before the court "within three days to provide some explanations" or face arrest. It gave no details.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the continued harassment of political opponents and reformers, like Ebadi, clearly showed that the Iranian regime was "in violation of international standards of human rights."
He recalled that Ebadi is both the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel peace prize in its 102 year-old history, who "worked tirelessly (for) the rights of women and children."
"We will continue to follow closely the government's actions against Ms. Ebadi and others as well as the deteriorating situation in Iran," he added.
