Doctor who treated dying Neda Agha Soltan responds to Iranian claims
The Iranian doctor who treated Neda Agha Soltan shortly before she died last summer is calling the government's accusation that he killed the 27 year-old after she allegedly faked her own death a "shameless and worthless" attempt to shift blame away from security forces.
In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL today, Dr. Arash Hejazi said Neda's death has become a thorn in the side of the Iranian regime, which "has been doing everything it can to distance itself from Neda's death and throw responsibility on others." [full story]
Tehran's latest claim is that the video of Neda's dying moments on a Tehran street depicts her pouring blood on her own face from a concealed bottle she was carrying. In a documentary produced by state-run TV, a narrator alleges that Neda was not shot by security forces. Rather, it claims she was shot by Hejazi and her music teacher in a car that was taking her to the hospital.
According to Hejazi, he wasn't even in the car. "First, they claimed that she was alive. Then they said the footage was fake. Then one day, they said a BBC reporter killed Neda. Then, they said it was the CIA...The latest claim is this documentary," he said.
The program portrays Neda as a foreign agent who became the victim of a plot orchestrated by foreigners and opposition supporters.
"While Neda is [pretending] she is injured and is lying on the back seat of the car on their lap, they [Hejazi and her music teacher] bring out a handgun from their pockets," according to the narrator.
"They obtained the gun from their Western and Iranian friends to water the tree of reforms and kill people and create divisions within society. Neda, for a moment, realizes their wicked plan and struggles to escape, but they quickly shoot her from behind."
The narrator adds that this is how "deceived and deceitful" Neda was killed.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
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