Geldof leaves Iran demo over terror list

BOB GELDOF walked away from a demonstration on Iran after hearing that one of the groups involved was on the UN’s terrorist list.

He was due to speak to a crowd gathered in Brussels where the EU's Foreign Ministers were meeting and discussing growing concerns about the regime

The Live Aid organiser was on his way to Africa and stopped off in Belgium to address the gathering of Iranians against the current government

But he left after hearing that one of the group's associated with the event, the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), was on the terror list

There were banners demanding the PMOI be taken off the terror list, calling the recently elected president an assassin and describing Mullahs as terrorists

Geldof, billed to speak for 25 minutes, did not appear to know the PMOI was a proscribed organisation

"I would not have anything to do with it if they are on the terror-list. We checked it out before we came," he said

But after speaking to the organisers, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), he walked away

The former member of the Boomtown Rats told the media he believed the Iranian government should be referred to the Security Council of the United Nations

"I do not know enough about the Iranian situation and I am not trying to become an expert but it's a dangerous situation and we do not need more wars in that region", he said

Popularly known as Sir Bob since being knighted a few years ago, he said: "There are executions taking place almost daily; torture we see what is happening to women there and now the proliferation of nuclear weapons."

Organisers of the rally were upset at his decision not to address the crowd of about 500 and said the PMOI should not be on the terror list

The organisation was condemned by a New York-based Human Rights Watch recently

In September a group of members from the European Parliament investigating the report said it was misinformed

The NCRI was the first to say the Iranian authorities were secretly developing a nuclear weapons programme three years ago