Brussels, 23/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Back from a three-day visit to Iran with his colleagues Ana Gomes (S&D, Portugal) and Véronique de Keyser (S&D, Belgium), the leader of the European Parliament's S&D Group, Hannes Swoboda (Austria), called on the EU on 22 October to continue its dialogue with Iran and to help the progressive forces. “There is the wind of change in Iran but it will not be permanent if we don't help the forces that want change. It's clear that there are many of them, but there are also many conservatives who are waiting” to see how things will go, he said at a press conference. He said that, if there is no dialogue and no progress on the nuclear programme, “the limited opening of the country will disappear”. However, he reiterated that this does not mean that the EU should ignore its position on these issues.
“The new Iranian government has opened a window of opportunity for a new dialogue with the European Union (…). Without direct dialogue, there can be no improvement in relations with Iran. We must not let the Iranian people down, who - by voting for President Rohani - made a choice for domestic change as well as for a change in relations with the international community”, Swoboda added in a press release.
The MEPs' visit focused on the Iranian nuclear programme, Iran's regional role and human rights - including the issue of political prisoners, freedom of the media and the death penalty. “We take note of the overall willingness to discuss these issues [of human rights] and expect dialogue to restart between the EU and Iran on human rights”, Swoboda added.
Swoboda described the visit - which was made at the invitation of the Iranian government and was the first visit by MEPs in six years - as “a fruitful start to a renewed dialogue”, and he encouraged the Parliament's delegation on Iran to follow up on this by making their long scheduled visit to Iran swiftly (see EUROPE 10720). He stated that his trip had been prepared in agreement with the European External Action Service.
During its visit, the delegation met high level representatives from the Iranian parliament and government, and representatives from civil society (including Sakharov Prizewinner, film director Jafar Panahi). (CG/transl.fl)