ISRAEL: Caspian Makin, the fiance of Neda Agha-Soltan killed during Iranian protests holds news conference

Record ID: 396733

  • Title: ISRAEL: Caspian Makin, the fiance of Neda Agha-Soltan killed during Iranian protests holds news conference
  • Date: 24th March 2010
  • Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (MARCH 23, 2010) (REUTERS) PRESS CONFERENCE BY CASPIAN MAKIN FIANCE OF NEDA AGHA-SOLTAN THE ICONIC IRANIAN WOMAN WHO WAS KILLED DURING ANTI GOVERNMENT PROTEST VARIOUS OF MAKIN (SOUNDBITE) (Persian) CASPIAN MAKIN, FIANCE OF NEDA AGHA-SOLTAN, SAYING: "After a couple of hours after I requested a visa to Israel, it was already reported in the Iranian press
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABKER6PQGWH8ARUAEF6GNWQ9PD
  • Story Text: The fiance of Neda Agha-Soltan, the Iranian woman killed during anti-government protests in Tehran, held a press conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday (March 23).
    Caspian Makin is visiting Israel in a move that could embarrass the Iranian regime, due to Iran being a staunch critic of the Jewish state.
    During the press conference he said news of his plans to visit Israel were immediately picked up by the press,
    "After a couple of hours after I requested a visa to Israel, it was already reported in the Iranian press." Said Makin His fiancee Neda Agha-Soltan was killed during anti-government protests in Iran. She was shot dead in Tehran, the moment of her death was captured on camera, and she became a symbol of the protests.
    Makin criticised the Iranian regime saying power should be given to the people,
    "Therefore the time has arrived in order to give back and give legitimate and qualified backing to the people of Iran." Makin said.
    On Monday (March 22) Makin met with Israeli president Shimon Peres, Makin, who requested the meeting, told Peres he came to Israel as an 'ambassador of the Iranian people, as a messenger from the camp of peace.' Following Neda Agha-Soltan's death, Makin left Iran for Canada.
    His fiancee's death was seen by hundreds of thousands of people around the world on the internet. She was killed on June 20, and hundreds of people in Iran mourned her death.
    She was killed during the worst unrest in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979 after thousands took to the streets following election results showing Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hardline conservative, was ahead with 66 percent of the votes in the election . His main challenger, moderate former prime minister Mirhossein Mousavi, had 31 percent.
    Makin's visit to Israel will be viewed by many as controversial as Israel says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence and points to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's calls for the Jewish state to be wiped off the map.
    Iran rejects Western charges that its nuclear program has military designs, and has vowed to retaliate with ballistic missiles for any strikes on its facilities by Israel, which is assumed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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