Rushdie still cautious
Asad Kiyani

Despite a recent easing of diplomatic tensions between Iran and Great Britain, the order for the death of Salman Rushdie remains in place.

Last month, the formerly opposed nations of Great Britain and Iran agreed to return to a normal level of diplomatic interaction. Iran's government formally declared it would not send anyone to carry out the fatwa (religious judgement) placed upon British author Salman Rushdie.

The fatwa declared Rushdie had blasphemed against Islam in his novel The Satanic Verses, and the Iranian government had previously refused to decry the death order.

In return, Britain distanced itself from the novel and its alleged blasphemy, leading the two countries to restore bi-lateral relations at the level of ambassadors.

This governmental relaxation was carried out by the foreign ministers of both countries. The agreement was made possible by the moderate stance of President Mohammad Khatami, but was jeopardized by the conservative parliament.

On October 4, 1998, nearly 160 Iranian Members of Parliament declared that the death sentence was still in effect. According to an open letter signed by the MPs, no one but the original issuer of the fatwa can revoke it. The man who made the judgement, Ayatollah Khomeini, died in 1989, just months after issuing the fatwa.

The rejection of foreign policy by the parliament is seen as a continuation of a recent conservative upsurge.

This past summer, the moderate and popular mayor of Tehran, Iran's capital and largest city, was jailed by the conservative parliament on what many regard as trumped up charges. Realizing nothing has changed, the protection for Rushdie has not decreased.

He is still guarded 24 hours a day, as no one in the British security sector believes he is safe.

In their eyes, the guarantee issued by the Iranian government offers little comfort.