Lawmaker Blasts EP’s Anti-Iran Motion

On March 31, the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee voted on a motion for a resolution on the European Union (EU) strategy towards Iran. The EP will debate the resolution in its plenary meeting on Thursday, April 3, and it will be put to the vote later.

In its motion, the EP has called on the EU to “mainstream human rights in all of its relations with Iran”.

It has also emphasized that “a high-level and inclusive human rights dialogue with Iran should be part of the future policy framework of bilateral EU–Iran relations”.

In reply, Esmail Kowsari, member of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, strongly reacted to the recent motion, stressing that the European body can never make any decision on Iran.

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Wednesday, the parliamentarian interpreted the move as an “act of interference” in the Islamic Republic’s internal affairs, saying it even questions the country’s sovereignty.

He further urged the country’s diplomatic channels to adopt tougher stances towards such events, noting that the parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission will soon ask the foreign minister or one of his deputies to clarify stance on the issue and brief the lawmakers on the foreign ministry’s position on the case.

Moreover, Kowsari made it clear that Iran will by no means allow the Europeans to decide on opening an office in Iran, and underlined that the Islamic Republic’s policies will determine whether the European bodies are permitted to establish an office in Tehran or not.

In the recent motion, the EP Foreign Affairs Committee has called on the European External Action Service (EEAS) to “undertake all preparatory work for the opening of a Union delegation in Tehran by the end of 2014”.