Iran's parliament approved a bill providing for equal...

Iran's parliament approved a bill providing for equal "blood money" compensation to be paid for the deaths or injuries of non-Muslim Iranians as Muslims, a move aimed at protecting the rights of Iran's religious minorities.
Conservative lawmaker Mohammad Qomi said the 290-seat legislature approved the bill in an open session of the parliament.
"According to the bill, Iran's recognized religious minorities will get equal blood money, like their Muslim countrymen," Qomi told The Associated Press.
It is expected to be approved by the hard-line Guardian Council, which is required of any bill before it becomes law. The bill has the backing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters.
The average amount of blood money now paid by an attacker to relatives of a Muslim man killed stands at 150 million rials (US$18,750). The payment is about half that if the victim was Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian or female regardless of her religion.
A reformist female lawmaker, Elaheh Koulaee, said parliament was also at work to win support from religious leaders for similar blood money rights for women.
Iran's only Jewish legislator, Maurice Motamed, welcomed the bill, but said Iran's non-Muslim citizens expects equality in other areas. He called for non-Muslims' to be allowed to testify in Islamic courts ? something now not permitted ? and for government organizations to employ non-Muslims as President Mohammad Khatami advocates.
Minorities are largely allowed to practice their faith in Iran, and have their own schools, churches, synagogues and temples. While the Islamic leadership bans mixed dancing, religious minorities are permitted to dance together in their clubs and behind closed doors.
Five seats in the 290-seat parliament are set aside for recognized religious minorities: one for Zoroastrians, one for Jews, two for Armenian Christians and one for other Christians.