Bastiaan BELDER (EFD, NL) presents a draft report on EU's approach towards Iran to the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

statement

meeting

EU - Iran (T)

LOCHBIHLER, Barbara (Greens/EFA, DE)

BELDER, Bas (ECR, NL)

MUÑIZ DE URQUIZA, María (S&D, ES)

EU's approach towards Iran: extracts from the draft report presentation by Bastiaan BELDER (EFD, NL)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/18120483/ebs72743Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Bas BELDER (EFDD, NL), There is no doubt that the Iranian government has facing certain difficult challenges because of the conflict between factions in Iran. There is social economic paralysis; problems relating to national security and increasing discontent in the population at large. So 4 serious points here. The Iranian regime giving the situation had to try to intervene. After the presidential elections of 2009 president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad authorised the Islamic revolution to repress any protest movement There were documents on this repression. This abuse by the regime in conjunction with the different internal and external economic address means that there is an internal state monopoly and the EU institutions need to address this fact.

SOUNDBITE (German), Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), When its comes to the role of Iran in the region I will like to emphasise not only the negative impact or the threats posed by Iranian's external policy , but I think we have to make-it clearer that the EU needs cooperation with Iran in order to be able to improve the situations as regards the to Afghanistan and Iraq. I think it is also necessary to mention the need for a comprehensive policy by the EU to Iran.

SOUNDBITE (German), Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), Not only looking at the individual aspects and list them, but to bring them together. And yes indeed the international policy is characterised by the attitude of the US towards Iran, that is very important and luckily the US government is looking for political solutions now. I thing its important to state that we should have our own EU policy vis-&agrave;-vis Iran, and that we want to have such a policy as well as being able to align our policy with the US one.

SOUNDBITE (German), Mar&#237;a MU&#209;IZ DE URQUIZA (S&amp;D, ES), As far as the nuclear dossier is concerned there is no reference to the latest events. For example Turkey and Brazil's offers, and the potential consequences of those proposals to the latest state of play the issue dealing with the external dimension focuses too much on Israel and there is one point that I can not agree with is the focus on turkey and the role of Turkey. I do agree that Turkey plays a key role and we have to bear in mint Turkey's good relations with Iran in order to try to improves Iran's role as regional actor, and as regional player. and encourage Iran to be building and increasing position of stability . Let's not forget the links between Iran and Afghanistan, central Asia, and the events in Afghanistan to deal with the conflict with the Taliban which has been a key event.