With the death earlier this year of the fanatical Ayatollah Khomeini, the United States had hoped for an easing of tensions with Iran and possible better relations between the two countries. But given the actions and rhetoric by the Iran Parliament this week, those hopes may be unrealistic.
Accompanied by harsh language reminiscent of Khomeini himself, the Parliament passed a law giving the Iranian government the right to arrest Americans anywhere in the world who act against Iran's interests and bring them to Iran for trial by Islamic courts.Iranian officials say the law mirrors the powers the U.S. government granted to itself to take suspected terrorists into custody anywhere in the world and bring them to the United States for trial.
On the surface, the two actions might appear similar. But there are deep differences. Being brought to trial in America is associated with substantial human rights guarantees. And the crimes in such cases must be serious acts of terrorism.
In contrast, the Iranian law says Americans can be arrested for almost anything "against the interests" of Iran. They would be tried according to "Islamic principles." Those principles may grossly violate such basic rights as free speech. Consider the death sentence against Salman Rushdie for merely writing a book.
The law orders Iranian President Rafsanjani to take steps to bring about the arrest and punishment of Americans convicted by Iranian courts. This sounds like some Americans would be tried in absentia and then hunted down later.
The Iranian Parliament also indicated that attempts to arrest Iranians for terrorist acts will be considered a crime. It included citizens of other countries who help "directly or indirectly" in the arrest of Iranians for trial in the United States or who "conspire" against Iranians or Iranian property.
The action by Iran's Parliament may just be so much bluster associated with the 10th anniversary of the taking of U.S. Embassy personnel hostage for 444 days in 1979.
But Washington should make clear that it will not allow Iran to unilaterally act against American citizens anywhere in the world according to "Islamic principles."
If that were to happen, the United States would be forced to respond in harsh fashion.