THE TELEGRAPH: Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has offered a potential olive branch to the United States over the spying conviction of an Iranian-American journalist by urging a full defence be allowed at her appeal.
His surprisingly moderate statement came a day after Tehran announced conviction of Roxana Saberi, 31, a dual American and Iranian citizen, and an eight-year jail sentence.
In a move that could be an overture to President Barack Obama, Mr Ahmadinejad instructed chief Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi to ensure that "suspects be given all their rights to defend themselves" against the charges.
Mr Obama did not respond directly to Mr Ahmadinejad, who could also have been positioning himself internally against the hard-line Iranian judiciary, but made emollient comments about Miss Saberi's case at a press conference in Trinidad.
"Obviously I'm gravely concerned with her safety and well being," he said. "We are working to make sure that she is properly treated and to get information about the disposition of her case.
"She is an American citizen and I have complete confidence that she was not engaging in any sort espionage. She is an Iranian-American who was interested in the country which her family came from and it is appropriate for her to be treated as such and be released." >>> By Toby Harnden in Washington | Sunday, April 19, 2009
