Rome - The Vatican has said it could appeal diplomatically to Iran to spare the life of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery.

The statement followed a plea for help from the son of the woman, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, in an interview with an Italian news agency.

After an international outcry, Iranian officials temporarily halted Ms Ashtiani's stoning sentence in July.

The Vatican said it was "following this affair with attention and commitment," spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement.

Italy has strong economic relations with Iran.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini appealed to Tehran to consider "an act of clemency".