MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

15.11.2005

to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by André Brie, Vittorio Agnoletto and Eva-Britt Svensson
on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
on Iran

B6‑0608/2005

European Parliament resolution on Iran

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran, notably the resolution winding up the debate on a statement by the Council and the Commission dated 13 October 2005,

–  having regard to the Council conclusions on Iran of 7 November 2005,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  shocked by the comments regarding the State of Israel made by President Ahmadinejad,

B.  concerned at the increasing influence of fundamentalist Islamic forces on the foreign policy of Iran and their attempts to spread their ideological and political influence throughout the region,

C.  noting that the IAEA is not yet in a position to clarify important outstanding issues about Iran’s nuclear programme and to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran; noting that, in the light of the remarks by President Ahmadinejad, resumption of the conversion activities at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility raises serious questions as to whether Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes,

D.  concerned that the situation in Iran as regards the exercise of key civil rights and political freedoms has deteriorated since the parliamentary elections of February 2004, as well as by the worsening of the human rights situation under the influence of fundamentalist Islam,

E.  whereas Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, other international human rights organisations and Iranian human rights activists and opposition groups have increasingly reported human rights violations in Iran, and whereas there are an increasing number of reports of executions and death sentences, especially against juvenile offenders and members of minorities, which violate internationally recognised criteria and standards,

F.  noting that, since foreign policy and the development of a society are interrelated issues, and because of the tense situation in the region, the policy of the Iranian Government calls for particular attention from the international community,

1.  Strongly condemns the comments regarding the State of Israel made by President Ahmadinejad;

2.  Reminds the Government and Parliament of Iran of its obligation under Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations to refrain in its international relations ‘from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations’;

3.  Reaffirms its commitment to contribute to the existence and security of the State of Israel, as well as to the creation of a viable Palestinian State and the withdrawal of Israeli occupation troops from Palestinian territory in accordance with the decisions of the UN Security Council and the Road Map;

4.  Deeply deplores the annual inflammatory demonstrations in Iran against the State of Israel, which do not contribute to a solution of the Middle East conflict and aggravate the tensions in the region;

5.  Calls on Iran to reconsider its policy in the Middle East, to recognise the State of Israel and its right to live in peace and security within internationally recognised borders, and to contribute to the creation of a viable and democratic Palestinian State and to putting an end to the occupations, inter alia by using its influence in the Middle East to persuade those movements with which it maintains relations to refrain from the use of violence;

6.  Calls on Israel to respect international law and its international obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 through the immediate implementation of the ‘Roadmap for Peace’, withdrawal from the Occupied Territories and dismantling the settlements in the Occupied Territories, and to accept the right of the Palestinian people to a sovereign and viable state, with East Jerusalem as its capital;

7.  Reiterates its support for the establishment of a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East and calls on the EU and its Member States to promote this idea with new initiatives;

8.  Calls on nuclear-weapon States, both acknowledged and unacknowledged, to grant negative security guarantees to Iran and all other countries in the region;

9.  Calls on the Iranian Government to take the necessary steps to restore the international community’s confidence and trust that Iran can responsibly and transparently develop its civilian nuclear energy programme by

• –meeting in full its commitments, notwithstanding its rights, under the nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty,
• –fully cooperating with the IAEA, and notably cooperating fully with IAEA inspectors,
• –ratifying without delay the IAEA Additional Protocol,
• –returning to negotiations with the EU with a view to reaching agreement on a Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

10.  Reaffirms the EU’s interest in the fruitful development of relations between the EU and Iran and the continuation of dialogue on issues of mutual interest and concern; takes the view that greater emphasis should be given to intercultural dialogue and that the parliaments and civil society should play a key role in this;

11.  Recalls its serious concerns about the human rights situation and key civil rights and political freedoms; reaffirms that these questions are of key importance for the development of relations between the EU and Iran;

12.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of Iran, the Director of the IAEA and the UN Secretary-General.