Arab Times>Iran says unmoved by EU opinion on human rights

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Senior Iranian judiciary officials said on Wednesday they paid little attention to European opinions on human rights, undermining European Union efforts to encourage reform in the Islamic state.

"We neither shiver at their statements nor thrill at their encouragement," Mohammad Javad Larijani, the judiciary's head of international affairs, told state television after two days of talks with EU officials on human rights.

The Tehran talks -- the fourth round since an EU-Iran rights dialogue began in late 2002, are part of an EU effort to engage with Iran over a range of issues including nuclear proliferation, the Middle East peace process and terrorism.

In return for progress on these issues, the EU is offering Tehran the prospect of a potentially lucrative trade and cooperation agreement with the European bloc.

EU officials have expressed frustration at slow progress in the rights talks and are under pressure from rights activists to get tougher with Iran on issues such as political prisoners, discrimination against women and lack of free speech.

EU diplomats say Iran appears content to drag out the talks while failing to address the issues raised by the Europeans.

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