Iran lauds death sentence for Saddam Hussein

Iran called Tuesday for the death sentence on former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to be carried out, saying he was a criminal who deserved to die. "We hope the fair, correct and legal verdict against this criminal ... is enforced," government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham told a news conference. "He is a criminal dictator. No doubt about it," Elham said of Saddam. The spokesman said Iran hoped Saddam would continue to be tried for other alleged crimes against humanity including waging the 1980-88 war against Iran. "We hope no pressures will be made not to carry out this verdict," Elham said.