UK Lawmakers Announce New Iran Policy

The delegation included Rt. Hon. David Jones MP, Lord Clarke of Hampstead, Mark Williams

MP, Sir Alan Meale MP, Martyn Day MP, Dr. Matthew Offord, Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Toby Perkins

MP, and Mike Freer MP. They were joined by London lawyer Claire Offord.

This meeting and the policy recommendations come during a time of increased scrutiny by the

United Nations over its human rights record. In two weeks, Iran will hold its Parliamentary and

Assembly of Experts elections, which critics have argued are not free elections because the

candidates are strictly filtered and not considered representative of the people.

Evidence continues to mount that political suppression has increased under the Hassan

Rouhani presidency, including increasing executions and imprisonments. Iran has continued to

influence events throughout the region as well.

“Some apologists claim that after the nuclear agreement, the Iranian regime would move

towards moderation. Yet, we can see that the situation is otherwise. Human rights abuses in

Iran have worsened after the nuclear deal, as has the mullahs’ meddling and massacre in Syria,”

said Rajavi. “If this religious fascism were not in power in Iran, we would not have a shattered

Iraq today with all its painful tragedies. Likewise, in Syria, there would not have been this

violent war and genocide and Yemen would not have turned into a killing field by the regime’s

agents.”

Rajavi also indicated that based on the mullahs’ theocracy, expanding extremism and retaliating

against Western nations are the main tendencies. “The outcome of these two tendencies are

terrorist attacks in Europe,” Rajavi said.

The policy recommendations focused on human rights, with their statement reading in part,

“Human rights must be a central factor in our relations with Iran. We must make it clear to the

rulers of Iran that their behavior towards their own people is unacceptable. We must not turn a

blind eye to the grave violations of human rights in Iran. On the contrary, expressions of

concern about the human rights situation in Iran must be a priority in any bilateral