Iran hardliners renew Rushdie fatwa

Iran hardliners renew Rushdie fatwa ran hardliners renew Rushdie fatwa

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards have renewed a death sentence on author Salman Rushdie on the anniversary of the "fatwa" against the writer issued by former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

"The historical decree on Salman Rushdie is irrevocable and nothing can change it," the elite Revolutionary Guards said in a statement quoted on Friday by the official IRNA news agency.

The father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution condemned Rushdie to death in 1989 for alleged blasphemy against Islam in his novel "The Satanic Verses".

"The issued fatwa is still valid," said the statement by the hardline military organisation, which answers directly to Iran's current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran's moderate President Mohammad Khatami said in 2001 the death sentence against Rushdie should be seen as closed.

But Iranian hardliners have continued to call for his death on some occasions, despite a 1998 deal by Iran and Britain to normalise relations after Tehran pledged to distance itself from efforts to kill the author.

Government officials could not be reached to comment on the Revolutionary Guards statement.

Rushdie was forced into hiding when Khomeini issued the fatwa in 1989 but has appeared more frequently in public in recent years. He lived in 30 different secret locations in Britain for nine years.