Iran's announcement that it had approved equal blood-money...

Iran's announcement that it had approved equal blood-money for Muslims and non-Muslim nationals was cheerfully acclaimed by the country's religious minorities. MP Morris Motamed, who represents the Jewish community in the Majlis, said the Expediency Council verification will have "a very positive effect" on the image of the Islamic Republic in the international community.
MP Yonathan Bet-Kolia, who represents the Assyrians and Caledonians in the Majlis, said the approval of the bill was the greatest Christmas gift that the supreme leader Ayatollah Khamene'i had given to the Iranian Christians. "We, Assyrians, consider ourselves entitled to enjoy equal rights. This is because we are one of the most ancient tribes in Iran and have always been present in different arenas of the country during the war, the reconstruction and the reforms," he said. "We have taken small steps in the great history of Iran." He recalled the charges of violation of human rights against the Islamic Republic, stressing: "Today, we can strongly say that the religious minorities are free and equal in our country, and need no custodian."
MP Khosrow Dabestani, who represents the Zoroastrian community in the Majlis, told IRNA that the community is happy with the decision.
Under the bill, the blood money for recognized religious minorities in Iran - Jews, Christian and Zoroastrians - has become equal to that of a Muslim Iranian national. According to the shari'ah law, the family or relatives of a murdered person can either pardon the murderer or demand blood money or capital punishment.