High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell advocated a comprehensive approach with regard to Iran during a debate in the European Parliament on Wednesday, 7 October.
An approach that “takes into account the different facets of our bilateral relationship”, he explained. “Engagement with Iran on all these issues remains in the European Union’s vital strategic interest”.
Consequently, in Mr Borrell’s view, it is important to work not only on maintaining the agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme but also on improving human rights in the country. “The two of them can go in parallel; one thing does not prevent the other”, he said in summary.
The High Representative was supported by many MEPs. “We must establish a dialogue with Iran that does not exclude any hot issues. These must be considered so as not to exclude Iran from international dialogue but to be peacemakers in this region”, explained Frenchman Thierry Mariani on behalf of ID. Speaking for S&D, Croatian Tonino Picula said, “If Iran wants to continue to pursue the path of engagement and cooperation with the EU, it must improve its internal situation”.
Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL, Germany) believes that the EU needs to provide more support to the Iranian people, who are “one of the biggest victims of Covid-19”. “We have responsibilities: we must support democracy and peace in Iran”, she added.
Several MEPs—including David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Ernest Urtasun (Greens/EFA, Spain), and Mr Picula—hearkened back to the importance of preserving the nuclear agreement, a success for European diplomacy.
Bart Groothuis (Renew Europe, Netherlands), vice-chair of the delegation for relations with Iran, was concerned about the expiry of the UN arms embargo on 18 October, adding that it is necessary to restrict arms sales to Iran. Mr Borrell promised that the European arms embargo would be extended.
Outside the debate, several MEPs called for more firmness towards Iran during an event organised by Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament. “It is our moral, political, and legal duty to defend human rights”, stressed, for example, Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, Spain), chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties.
On this occasion, Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, called on the EU to take additional measures such as deporting “agents of the Iranian regime” from European soil, closing Iranian embassies in all Member States, and designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and other countries as terrorist groups. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)