Iranian MPs debate nuclear standoff and trading relations with MEPs

The Majlis delegation chair, Mahmoud Mohammadi, said he regretted that negotiations on a Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Iran had been stalled due to the conflict over Iran's nuclear programme. He called for a decoupling of the two, saying that they were completely different issues. He added that agreement and dialogue on trade and cultural matters would make it easier to overcome other differences of opinion.

 

Iranian delegation member Ali Ahmadi spoke of the inalienable right of the Iranian people to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. MEPs, including Michael Gahler (EPP-ED, DE), Christa Prets (PES, AT), Romano La Russa (UEN, IT) and John Purvis (EPP-ED, UK), argued that this was the heart of the problem: there were no guarantees that Iran's enrichment programme was geared to peaceful purposes only. Mr Mohammadi responded by saying that "supervision by the IAEA is the best guarantee and Iran is ready to cooperate."

 

The views of the MEPs and the members of the Majlis diverged on most of the issues discussed. However, they found common ground in their wish to see the Guantanamo Bay prison closed.

 

Concluding the debate, Angelika Beer (Greens/EFA, DE), the EP delegation chair, expressed her hope that this first meeting would be the start of an ongoing dialogue and that they would meet again soon.