Neena Gill (S&D). – Madam President, we are currently witnessing the most serious anti-government protests in Iran for a decade. At least two dozen protesters have reportedly lost their lives and nearly 4 000 have been imprisoned. The real numbers might be multiples of this. Many fear a repeat of 2009 when scores of demonstrators faced torture in unofficial detention centres.

Meanwhile, vital communication channels and social media remain blocked. The alleged suicides of three jailed protesters underscore the importance of standing by the Iranian people in defending their fundamental right to peaceful protest and protecting them against disappearances and execution.

With the nuclear deal hanging in the balance due to President Trump’s outrageous ultimatum, the EU now has the unprecedented leverage to use its role as guardian of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to stand up for human rights in Iran.

I urge European leaders to withstand the pressures to sweep one issue under the rug to the benefit of the other. We need to use our leadership in the nuclear file to support the Iranian people and those who are open to reform. The 2015 deal is a key EU foreign policy success that has to be defended. This is no less true for our reputation as a bulwark of fundamental rights.