MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
23.1.2008
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Romano Maria La Russa, Konrad Szymański and Adam Bielan
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Iran
B6‑0057/2008
European Parliament resolution on Iran
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran, particularly those concerning the nuclear issue and human rights, and notably the resolutions adopted on 25 October 2007, 16 November 2006, 15 February 2006, 17 November 2005, 13 October 2005, 13 January 2005 and 28 October 2004,
– having regard to the conclusions of the European Council of 14 December 2007,
– having regard to UN Security Council resolutions 1747 of 24 March 2007, 1737 of 27 December 2006 and 1696 of 31 July 2006 on Iran’s nuclear programme,
– having regard to the conclusions of the work plan agreed between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Iranian authorities,
– having regard to the reports of the Board of Governors of the IAEA, and in particular its report of 15 November 2007,
– having regard to the conclusions of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) report on Iran’s nuclear intentions and capacities,
– having regard to the conclusions of the 2nd EP-Iran Interparliamentary meeting, held in Teheran from 7 to 9 December 2007,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas Iran has not suspended the uranium enrichment activities as set out in the protocol on safeguards to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and as was requested by the UN Security Council in its resolutions 1747/2007, 1737/2006 and 1696/2006,
B. whereas the head of the IAEA delegation, Mr El Baradei, issued a statement on 12 January 2008 according to which the Iranian authorities had agreed to provide adequate responses, within four weeks, on all the outstanding issues relating to Iran’s nuclear activities,
C. whereas despite the increase in the information provided, there is an urgent and genuine need for the Iranian authorities to cooperate so that the IAEA inspectors can check the state of play and level of activity at the sites concerned, and for signs of the high uranium enrichment already identified at some nuclear sites,
D. whereas the USA’s National Intelligence Estimate report, published on 3 December 2007, states that Iran halted its nuclear weapons programme 2003 and that it had not re-started that programme as of mid-2007, demonstrating de facto the existence of a nuclear weapons production plan, and without ruling out the possibility that high enrichment uranium could in the future serve for potential use in nuclear weapons,
E. whereas the situation in Iran as regards human rights and fundamental freedoms has gradually deteriorated over the past two and a half years, or in other words since the most recent presidential elections in 2005, despite it having signed international agreements guaranteeing human rights and fundamental freedoms,
F. whereas 2007 saw a marked increase in the number of executions (over 320), not least of minors, with public hangings and stonings, on the basis of Sharia law,
G. whereas even the most basic of human rights are regularly violated in Iran, in a manner humbling to human dignity,
H. whereas the current harsh repression affects all sectors of society: from political opponents to students, journalists, teachers, women, trade unionists and people belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, who are sweepingly accused of ‘activities against the system’,
I. whereas numerous university students belonging to the Consolidation of Unity movement and activitists belonging to the Women’s Rights Movement have been persecuted and abused and are now being held in special prisons,
1. Considers that Iran’s nuclear programme and uranium enrichment activities represent a serious risk to the international community, as is stated in UN Security Council resolutions 1747, 1737 and 1696;
2. Expresses deep concern at the conduct of the Iranian authorities in not having respected the international agreements or the additional protocol on suspension of the enrichment of uranium not intended for civilian use;
3. Calls on Iran to comply with the IAEA’s recommendations and to allow the inspections of the nuclear sites, which are needed to verify their capabilities and the scope of the nuclear activities;
4. Reconfirms its total support for the decision adopted by the 5 foreign affairs ministers of the countries belonging to the UN Security Council, meeting in Berlin on 22 January 2008;
5. Calls on the EU Member States, in their relations with Iran, not to soften their stance, to speak with one voice and to continue to apply firm pressure, but also to stimulate dialogue;
6. Expresses its deep concern at the deterioration in the human rights situation in Iran in recent years, and appeals to the Iranian authorities to honour their obligations under the international rules and instruments in the field of human rights ratified by Iran, and to promote universal values and grant all individuals the right to exercise their civil rights and political freedoms;
7. Reminds the Iranian Government that, as a signatory of international agreements on civil and political rights and on economic, social and cultural rights, it should uphold fundamental human rights, and especially the freedom to hold opinions, and calls for the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience;
8. Strongly condemns the death sentences and executions in Iran, especially in respect of minors and people who perpetrated crimes when minors, and calls on the Iranian authorities to respect the legal safeguards recognised by the international community with regard to minors, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;
9. Expresses deep concern at the dramatic upturn in the repression of civil society movements in Iran in the past year, and calls on the Iranian authorities to put a stop to the harsh repression of the student movement, human rights defenders, activists engaged in the ‘One million signatures’ campaign, upholders of minority rights, intellectuals, teachers, journalists and trade unionists;
10. Urges the Iranian authorities to eliminate from the legal code all form of torture and any other form of cruelty, punishment or inhuman and degrading treatment and to guarantee the full rights of the defence during trials;
11. Expresses its disappointment at the Council’s refusal to act upon the judgment of the European Court of Justice of 12 December 2006 concerning the PMOI and to take into consideration the recent judgment adopted by a United Kingdom tribunal on 30 November 2007 annulling classification of the PMOI as a terrorist organisation; calls on the Council to remove that movement from its list of terrorist organisations;
12. Emphasises that the prospects for trade and cooperation agreements between the EU and Iran depend on changes in the human rights situation in Iran, and on full cooperation with the IAEA in such a way as to guarantee the peaceful nature of the objectives of the nuclear programme;
13. Calls on the Commission to bring forward a report on the outlook for relations between the EU and Iran and to consider how to relaunch a human rights dialogue on which the negotiations on trade and cooperation are contingent, with any agreement in that area depending solely on the progress made in the fields of human rights and nuclear matters;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative for the CFSP, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Head of the Supreme Court of Iran, and the government and parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.