EU chiefs urged to take tougher stance on Iran

U-TV: European Union chiefs were today urged to adopt a tougher stance with Iran over any move to acquire nuclear weapons.
Democratic Unionist Jim Allister issued the call after MEPs were briefed by a critic of the Tehran regime, the President elect of the National Council of Resistance in Iran, Maryam Rajavi. In a hard hitting statement Mr Allister said: “Iran is a dictatorial theocracy, in which freedom of speech and human rights are trampled over on
a daily basis.
U-TV

European Union chiefs were today urged to adopt a tougher stance with Iran over any move to acquire nuclear weapons.

Democratic Unionist Jim Allister issued the call after MEPs were briefed by a critic of the Tehran regime, the President elect of the National Council of Resistance in Iran, Maryam Rajavi.

In a hard hitting statement Mr Allister said: “Iran is a dictatorial theocracy, in which freedom of speech and human rights are trampled over on a daily basis.

“With its advanced nuclear programme, it poses a danger to the peace and well-being of the world, and yet, only last year, the British, French and German governments negotiated a treaty with the Mullahs that allows the continuance of “non-threatening” nuclear research. This is utmost folly.

“Mrs Rajavi`s comments to the European Parliamentarians, and, the way in which the Tehran regime attempted to prevent her visit from taking place demonstrate that the Iranian government feels itself to be under threat.”

US President George W Bush has warned in recent weeks that a nuclear armed Iran would be a very destabilising force in the world.

European leaders have also urged Iran to stop for ever uranium enrichment which is a key part of nuclear arms production.

However Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.

On Wednesday, President Mohammad Khatami told foreign ambassadors in Tehran: “We give our guarantee that we will not produce nuclear weapons because we`re against them and do not believe they are a source of power.

“But we will not give up peaceful nuclear technology.”

Mr Allister said with Iraq hopefully becoming a functioning democracy like Israel the winds of change were blowing across the Middle East but said this was unnerving Tehran.

The DUP MEP continued: “Instead of facilitating the crazed designs of Islamic fundamentalists to get their hands on nuclear weapons, the European Union should be adopting a tougher stance with Tehran.

“All weapons and nuclear energy exports to Iran from the European Union should be stopped forthwith.

“Economic sanctions and diplomatic embargoes need also to be given consideration until political reforms are initiated in the country.”