TORONTO - Foreign Affairs Minister, Bill Graham said Monday that his office is optimistic about the Iranian government's inquiry into the death of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham

Graham said the weekend arrest of five suspects is a positive sign that the Iranian government is cooperating and taking steps to find out who is responsible for Kazemi's July 10 death.

"All we want to do is apprehend those responsible for this death, and punish, whoever that is, not just some lower people," added Graham.

The 54-year old photojournalist from Montreal died from a blow to the head while in police custody in Iran.

Graham has also pushed Iran to return Kazemi's body to Canada. She was buried in Iran last week, over the objections of her son.

The protection of Canadian journalists working abroad has become an important foreign affairs issue, one that Graham expects to discuss with various leaders at the United Nations and the European Union.

"I spoke to the foreign minister of the European Union who has taken a great deal of interest in this case," Graham told reporters." They will work with us to see that journalists are protected around the world."

Kazemi's son, Stefan Hachemi, says he's frustrated with the progress the federal government is making and has asked his lawyer to meet with Philip MacKinnon, Canada's ambassador to Iran.