"With these kinds of uncustomary and undiplomatic statements, the Canadians have put themselves into a position of weakness for political discussions and have damaged the development of trust and understanding between the two countries," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told the state news agency IRNA.

Asefi was reacting to comments Monday by Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham, who announced Canada's ambassador to Iran was to return Tehran after several months of being kept at home in protest over the beating death of photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.

Graham said two main reasons for the return of Ambassador Philip MacKinnon were the decision by Iranian authorities to put on open trial a suspect in the Kazemi case and the need to maintain pressure on Iran not to develop nuclear weapons.

Graham said MacKinnon will be carrying a letter from Prime Minister Jean Chretien insisting "that in the matter of Madame Kazemi's death, Canada continues to press for the return of Madame Kazemi's body to Canada and to press for a full, open and transparent trial whereby those who are responsible for her death are brought to justice."

Asefi hit back by saying "this kind of statement has no effect on the policy of the Islamic republic."

Dual national Kazemi died in custody in Iran on July 10 after she was arrested for photographing outside a prison following a wave of arrests of anti-regime protestors.

Iranian officials later admitted she had died from injuries sustained from beating while she was being questioned, but officials here refused to hand her body over. MacKinnon was recalled to Canada on July 23.

Last week an Iranian magistrate ruled out premeditated murder in her death but upheld charges of "quasi-intentional murder" against an intelligence agent. His trial is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

The uproar surrounding Kazemi's death has seen relations between Tehran and Ottawa plummet.

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