Brussels, 17/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 16 October, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confirmed that Iran would not capitulate on its nuclear programme, in spite of new European sanctions adopted the previous day by the EU27 foreign affairs ministers (see EUROPE 10710).
The Western countries “say that the pressure aims to take Iran back to the negotiating table, but we have never left it”, Khamenei said. “The real objective of those who represent this political propaganda formula is to bring the Iranian nation to capitulate at the negotiations. But we say to them: 'you are too weak to be able to force the Iranian people to get on their knees before you'”, he added, saying European leaders are still living in the “colonial era”.
The spokesperson for Iranian diplomacy, Ramin Mehmanparast, described the sanctions as “illegal, irrational and inhumane”. “Even if the nuclear question is resolved, they (the West) will put forward other issues to put pressure on Iran”, he added.
EU keeps the same line. Michael Mann, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, recalled that the sanctions are part of the twin track sanctions/negotiations approach. He said that although there are sanctions, the EU nevertheless “has excellent contact with the Iranians”, adding that the last meeting in Istanbul between Ashton and the Iranian negotiator, Saeed Jalili, had taken place in “a positive atmosphere”. He also said that the E3+3 decided at the end of September “to extend their hand to the Iranians and propose a new series of discussions”.
With regard to the European sanctions, a senior European official said that he was not expecting a second substantial packet of measures only ten months after the last one, at the end of January, which established an embargo on oil. The ministers took out sanctions affecting the finance, maritime transport, energy and trade sectors. The legislation for applying these measures should come into force in two months' time, according to the senior official. The Council also took out a visa ban and froze the assets of the energy minister, Majid Namjoo, and those of 31 businesses linked to energy, and three banks.
MEPs opposed to a Parliament delegation visiting Tehran. MEPs have requested the visit of the European Parliament delegation to Iran to be cancelled, considering that the visit - due to start on 27 October - would be the object of propaganda by the regime. In the opinion of Alejo Vidal Quadras (EPP, Spain) “any official relationship would be counterproductive”. Struan Stevenson (ECR, United Kingdom) described the visit as “an aberration”. Tunne Kelam (EPP, Estonia) added: “If we send a delegation now, it will be a way of undermining all the efforts made with the sanctions” (our translation throughout). (CG/transl.fl)