Iran condemns EU

IRAN: Iran on Monday strongly condemned a decision by the European Union to remove an Iranian opposition group from its terror list and lift restrictions on its funds, saying the move encourages terrorism.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the hands of the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran "are stained with the blood of thousands of Iranian and non-Iranian people" and the EU decision demonstrated what it called the bloc's "double standards" in dealing with terrorism.

The EU decision is sure to further damage relations with Tehran already strained over Iran's nuclear program.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the EU's unacceptable move and deeply deplores that the EU, in order to attain illegitimate and short-term political objectives, has distanced itself from the path of the international community in fighting terror and has chosen friendship and cooperation with terrorists," state television quoted the ministry statement as saying Monday.

Tehran, AP