Tehran - The death edict against Salman Rushdie cannot be revoked and the author's "insulting remarks" will increase the hatred of Muslims towards him, according to the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
The statement was made by Mr Mahmoud Mohammadi, who is tipped to be Iran's new ambassador to Britain. This follows their agreement to upgrade diplomatic relations as part of a deal in which the Iranian government distanced itself from a 1989 fatwa against Rushdie for his book, The Satanic Verses.
Kayhan, an influential hardline daily, called on the government to carry out the fatwa and kill Rushdie. Rushdie said in London on Friday that he did not regret writing The Satanic Verses.