Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Several MEPs have expressed anger at the decision that the EU will be represented at the swearing-in event of Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Why Are MEPs Angry About EU’s Iran Representation?
Last week, a senior EU official said to the Wall Street Journal that Josep Borrell will not follow the ceremony as the ties with Iran are “at the lowest point it has ever been.” Instead, Borrell’s deputy Enrique Mora, who is deputy secretary-general of the European External Action Service (EEAS), will travel to Tehran. The EEAS demanded that the EU will not be represented at the political level but just at a “diplomatic level.”
How Did Polish MEP Adam Bielan React to the Decision?
In a letter to EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, Polish MEP Adam Bielan from the European Conservatives and Reformists group, said that it was “not appropriate” for the European Union to be represented “as this would legitimise the Iranian regime.”
How Did Polish MEP Adam Bielan React to the Decision?
In his letter, MEP Bielan, who is the ECR’s coordinator for foreign policy, noted; “This decision is not only misguided but stands in direct contradiction to the values and principles that the European Union purports to uphold,” Bielan said in his note. “We expect a swift and appropriate response to ensure that our foreign policy remains consistent with our shared values and commitments.” He contended, “Iran’s persistent support for terrorist activities and destabilising actions across the region poses a direct threat to global security and contradicts the EU’s commitment to democracy and human rights.’’
He said, “Engaging diplomatically with such a regime at this juncture is highly inappropriate and dangerous. It undermines the integrity of our foreign policy and sends a message of tacit approval to a government that flagrantly violates human rights and international norms. This engagement is particularly problematic during a transitional period for the European Union, where significant actions should be approached with caution and respect for the incoming Commission.”
Another MEP Dutch Bart Groothuis, from the Liberal Renew group, also called the action of the EU to be represented at Tuesday’s ceremony as “unacceptable.” “We are so ready for change at the highest and some lower levels,” German Green MEP Hannah Neumann stated, in a clear reference to Josep Borrell.
What Led to the EU’s Diplomatic Representation in Tehran?
Enrique Mora also represented the EU at the inauguration event of Ebrahim Raisi as president of Iran in 2019, for which he was denounced by Iranian human rights activists. Iran and the EU have clashed over some cases in the last few years, most notably Iran’s nuclear program and its poor narrative on human rights. In recent months, the connection has deteriorated over the EU’s ongoing reflections on the possibility of adding Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to the EU’s terror list.
Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon was designated as the president on July 6. The election was called after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May. In his election campaign last month, Pezeshkian pledged to improve Iran’s diplomatic ties and even attempt to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that fell apart when former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018.
