Barnet & Potters Bar Times – The head of an Iranian women’s group in Barnet has called for the British government to cut all diplomatic and commercial ties with Iran as a result of their capture of 15 British Royal Navy personnel.
Iran accuses the crew of straying into its waters on March 23, but the British insist they were in Iraqi territory.
Laila Jazayeri, director of the Association of Anglo-Iranian Women, said: "The Iranian government has taken British hostages, and still Britain is playing softly, softly’. What message does that send to them? The only language they understand is the language of bullies, and I’m sorry to say that we will see more of such action. The fate of these 15 sailors depends on the action that Britain will take."
Ms Jazayeri, 44, specifically criticised the British government for opposing the removal of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI) from the EU’s list of terrorist organisations.
She said: "On December 12 the European Court of Justice ruled that PMOI should be removed from the list. Britain is spearheading a campaign to keep them on the list to try to appease Tehran, in the belief that they will then stop their enrichment of uranium. By doing that Britain is effectively backing the regime."
The Association of Anglo-Iranian Women works closely with the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a broad coalition of groups in favour of secular government, whose supporters have been demonstrating outside Downing Street and the Foreign Office since March 19.
They are calling for the label of terrorism to be removed from PMOI, and for an end to the British government’s policy of appeasement.
Ms Jazayeri said that even according to official figures’ within Iran, 95 per cent of Iranians are against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s regime, adding: "What the Iranian people want to happen is democratic change."
