EU decries 'barbaric' plans to stone Iranian woman

EU decries 'barbaric' plans to stone Iranian woman

BRIAN MURPHY

NASSER KARIMI

Associated Press Writers

TEHRAN, Iran — The international crossfire over Iran's stoning sentence for a woman convicted of adultery intensified Tuesday with a top European Union official calling it "barbaric" and an Iranian spokesman saying it's about punishing a criminal and not a human rights issue.

The sharp words from both sides provide a snapshot of the dispute: Western leaders are ramping up pressure to call off the sentence for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and Iran is framing it as a matter for its own courts and...