During the EP plenary session (24-27/10) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement. Statements by Richard Stuart HOWITT (S&amp;D, UK), Miguel ARIAS CA&Ntilde;ETE, Member of the EC in charge of Climate Action and Energy, Marietje SCHAAKE (ALDE, NL), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Victor BOSTINARU (S&amp;D, RO), and Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Iran (T)

BROK, Elmar (EPP, DE)

ARIAS CAÑETE, Miguel (EPP, ES, EC)

BOŞTINARU, Victor (S&D, RO)

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

SCHAAKE, Marietje (ALDE, NL)

HOWITT, Richard (S&D, UK)

EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Richard Stuart HOWITT (S&amp;D, UK), I support the opening of an EU delegation in Teheran. Cooperation on maritime security in the Persian Gulf as a concreted step towards a new regional security structure for the whole region.

SOUNDBITE (English), Richard Stuart HOWITT (S&amp;D, UK), Those who say that my report quote &ldquo;is not human rights enough&rdquo;. Simply impugn my own integrity and contradict the human rights organizations themselves. You knowingly imperil the leverage that we do have with Iran and make the improvements in human rights you say you want, less, not more likely. You should examine your own conscience before you repeat that claim.

SOUNDBITE (English), Richard Stuart HOWITT (S&amp;D, UK), My report stands for peace and active diplomatic role for Europe at the belief that by identifying common interest where it exists that it is possible to build on it. I ask you for your support.

SOUNDBITE (English), Miguel ARIAS CA&#209;ETE, Member of the EC in charge of Climate Action and Energy, The initial reluctance, by the financial and banking sector and wider business community to reengage, is a natural phenomenon given that company needs to be comfortable and confident to come back and invest in Iran again. The remaining US primary sanctions - and we had a debate on this in July - and the poor business environment in Iran are additional factors for hesitations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Miguel ARIAS CA&Ntilde;ETE, Member of the EC in charge of Climate Action and Energy, An engagement on areas of mutual interest allows us to open channels to communication to address the areas where we have differences. Human rights remains an obvious area of concern. The high number of executions and the restrictions to human freedoms are worrying, and regular public statements are released in this respect.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marietje SCHAAKE (ALDE, NL), INTA Committee, Of course trade and investment must be done according to the law and benefit the population, which has suffered enough and continues to suffer. The human capital is Iran&rsquo;s most valuable asset, so imagine what&rsquo;s possible when development goes hand in hand with fundamental freedoms, when labour rights are improved, including for women, and when environmental protection is upgraded.

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), This report is the result of long debates between groups talking about human rights, talking about the unacceptability of the death penalty, talking about arrests carried out for political and other reasons, the discrimination against religious and other minorities... all of these aspects are present in the report and we call as well on the Saudi Arabian and Iran to stop financing the proxy wars, supporting Hezbollah and other militias, the financial support needs to stop.

SOUNDBITE (English), Victor BO&#350;TINARU (S&amp;D, RO), I will conclude with an important call on Iran to stop its interference in other countries in the region and to refrain from supporting armed groups in particular his support to the Syrian regime, Hamas, al-Nusra, Hezbollah... and to play a more constructive role in bringing back the peace to the Middle East.

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), This deal is only welcomed as a pragmatic one and its rejection would play right into the hands of regime hardliners. It does not mean that we have reach the end of the road. Close scrutiny that the terms are being respected and the will to re-impose sanctions at the slightest violations are of utmost importance. It is unknown where this deal will take us over the next decades but I personally I am hopeful that it can build trust and allow time for a new political landscape to develop from that ancient Persian culture and to emerge from that.