• Widespread opposition of parliamentary groups and Euro MPs and their boycott of the trip
The trip of several known defenders of the religious fascism ruling Iran in European Parliament to Tehran, a few days after the mass executions on October 22 in Evin prison and meeting with the perpetrators of crimes against humanity, is seen as welcoming the executions and complicity with the religious dictatorship against the people of Iran.
This trip is conducted while Amnesty International on October 9 stated, “Since 2012, 344 people were executed in Iran. Counting undeclared executions, the true number is much higher.” Ghazvin’s deputy prosecutor said on October 23rd that in the past 20 months, the number of executed people in Ghazvin is as many as the last 20 years. In the past year alone, 100 people have been sentenced to death in this city.
This trip has caused anger and widespread opposition from parliamentary groups and MEPs, so that even more than two-third of the Delegation for relations with Iran have refused to participate. The Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democracts) – EPP, the largest political group in the European Parliament, the Group of European Conservatives and Reformists – ECR, the European Free Democrats group – EFD, have condemned this trip by issuing press releases and holding press conferences, saying they would refuse to go to Iran.
Only 3-4 MEPs, known to have defended the religious fascism ruling Iran, are involved in this trip. This includes Tarja Cronberg and Isabelle Durant from the Greens and Cornelia Ernst from the German left group. Durant had previously arranged a reception lunch in the European Parliament for Manochehr Mottaki, then Foreign Minister of Iran, which was met with strong protest from the Parliamentarians.
These people who are planning to be in Iran from October 27 to November 2, are supposed to meet a number of perpetrators of crimes against humanity who must face justice.
The three Larijani brothers, Aladdin Boroujerdi, head of Majlis Foreign Policy and Security Committee, Kazem Jalali, spokesman for this committee and Ali Akbar Salehi, the mullahs’ Foreign Affairs Minister are likely to be on the list of meetings. Without exception, they all have had responsibility in all of the crimes of the past three decades.
The EPP parliamentary group said in a statement: “Given the non-compliance of Iran with the Security Council resolutions to suspend nuclear enrichment program and considering increased sanctions, a trip to Iran will send a wrong signal” and will be “unproductive and harmful”. The Foreign policy spokesman for the group said: “So far these activities have proved to be hollow and has given time to the regime.”
Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament, described the trip as “very damaging” and said: “This visit will encourage the mullahs and allow them to continue to justify not only human rights violations but also repression, fundamentalism and terrorism.”
Struan Stevenson, President of the delegation for relations with Iraq, said: “Why the main opposition to the regime is not considered as the engine for a regime change? This is an opportunity now to do just that, but instead, we are sending a ‘friendship’ delegation to Tehran. To meet a regime that currently holds the highest record of executions in the world. Most executions are carried out in public. This is disgusting.”
Fiorello Provera, Vice chair of European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee from EDF, said in a press conference: “This is a very wrong time to go to Iran. This delegation will meet with Iranian government officials. It is not just a parliamentary visit but it is an official meeting with the government officials.”
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
October 25, 2012