Diplomatic crisis after Dutch citizen executed

“Infamous Iran,” on its front page De Volkskrant reports on the reaction of Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Uri Rosenthal, in the wake of the execution of Dutch-Iranian citizen Zahra Bahrami on the night of 28 January. Bahrami who had participated in 2009 "Green wave" protests against the Iranian regime was arrested on 31 December 2009. Shortly afterwards, she was also charged with drug trafficking and membership of a monarchist organisation. Notwithstanding requests for clarification from the government in The Hague and reassuring responses from its counterpart in Tehran — which does not recognise dual nationality — Bahrami’s trial "was not concluded,"notes De Volkskrant. The “announcement of her execution has come as a shock. Even her lawyer had not been informed." The Netherlands has frozen diplomatic contacts with Iran and will raise the issue of sanctions at a meeting of Europe’s foreign ministers scheduled for 31 January.