A Canberra woman has expressed her grief at the destruction of her brother's grave as part of what is understood to be earthworks for a cultural and sports centre in Iran.
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Fahimeh Khanlari said news of the desecration of the Baha'i cemetery at Shiraz in the north-west of the country last month - where her brother was buried in 1966, and other relatives' remains lie - had left her devastated.
"When I heard the news of the excavation recently, I could hardly talk to anyone for two weeks and I would just cry and cry,” she said. “This destruction of the cemetery goes against all standards of decent behaviour."
Australian Baha’i Canberra spokeswoman Natalie Mobini said Tuggeranong businesswoman Ms Khanlari was one of three people in Canberra known to have relatives in the 950-plot cemetery.
The Australian Baha'i Community blames the desecration on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards "with the implied consent of the authorities", part of what it claims is widespread discrimination against the Baha'i community, a non-Muslim religious minority in the Islamic republic.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was aware of reports of the destruction of Baha'i graves in Shiraz and had discussed the matter with community representatives.
Last month, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop issued a message for an event marking the sixth anniversary of the continued imprisonment of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran.
“On this regrettable occasion, the Australian government reiterates its deep concerns at the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, including the treatment of religious minorities such as the Baha’i community,” she said.