Three French former prime ministers accused Tehran yesterday of rigging the trial of Iranian Jews accused of spying for Israel.
A petition published in Paris included the signatures of Gaullists Mr Edouard Balladur and Mr Alain Juppe as well as Socialist Mr Pierre Mauroy, together with former European Commission president Mr Jacques Delors.
"The trial is unfair and fails to respect fundamental rules of law. It is held in secret with the prosecutor as sole judge with no evidence offered," said the petition, which was due to be handed to the Iranian embassy today.
The petition also accused Iran of extracting false confessions under threat. "No one is fooled; the same methods were used by Stalin," it said.
Nine out of 10 imprisoned suspects are reported to have confessed to working with Israel's foreign intelligence agency, Mossad, but their lawyers have disputed the state's charge that their acts constituted espionage.
One man pleaded not guilty and three other Jewish suspects are free on bail and are due in court at the next hearing, most likely on May 22. Nine Muslims are also awaiting trial.