EU may coordinate aid to Iran's protesters

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 22 (UPI) -- A European Union-wide proposal to coordinate aid for wounded Iranian demonstrators was expected to be discussed Wednesday in Stockholm, ministers said.

Ministers of Italy, France and Finland called for a common EU response for people seeking assistance in the violent aftermath of Iran's June 12 election in which hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the landslide winner over his nearest rival, moderate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

In demonstrations in Tehran Saturday, official Iranian media outlets reported at least 13 people died and more than 400 were wounded.

Embassies of several EU countries opened their gates to wounded protesters, including Italy, which said it instructed its mission in Tehran to assist "where there is a request or need for help from injured demonstrators," EUobserver reported Monday.

However, Sweden, which is about to assume the rotating EU presidency, said it cannot grant asylum. Belgium also said it would not allow opposition protesters to seek refuge in its embassy in the Iranian capital.

The Austrian foreign ministry said its embassy in the Iranian capital would render first aid, but no one has come to its compound.

A spokesman for Norway, which is not a European Union member but is recognized as an international negotiator, said its embassy in Tehran had "not accepted any refugees," the EUobserver said.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said that the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the Czech charge d'affaires and "his 26 colleagues from the European Union" in Tehran. Through a spokesman, Kohout said the EU diplomats were summoned "and they were not allowed to present their positions."