Iran condemns deadly Australia hostage-taking
Tehran on Monday condemned the deadly hostage-taking in Australia reportedly by an Iranian-born gunman, branding it an act foreign to Islam, state media quoted a government official as saying.
"Undertaking such inhuman acts and provoking fear and panic in the name of merciful Islam is not in any way justifiable," foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said, according to IRNA news agency.
The hostage-taker, Man Haron Monis, a 50-year-old Iranian who was granted political asylum in Australia in 1996, was among three people killed when police stormed a central Sydney cafe early Tuesday to free 17 hostages.
