IRAN'S FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC POLICY

EDM number 229 in 1999-00, proposed by Stephen Twigg on 21/12/1999.

That this House looks forward to the visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister; welcomes the current trend towards a more progressive society in that country but deplores its continued and expanded support for terrorist organisations and activities which aim to derail the Middle East peace process; notes that Iran continues to finance, equip and provide training locations to the most lethal terrorist organisations in the Middle East notably Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad; deplores the fact that Iran transferred ú3 million to Hamas in August of this year; notes that when Jordanian authorities raided the offices of Hamas in Amman that data uncovered shipments of arms and explosives from Iran; further notes that some 200 Iranian officers are currently training Hezbollah gunmen in Lebanon; is aware that the latest report from Amnesty International states that 'Torture is widespread in Iran'; expresses concern that Christian, Jewish and particularly the Bahai' communities have been the targets of specific campaigns of harassment and abuse including the arrest of 13 Jews on trumped up charges of espionage; is concerned that Iran remains one of the most active countries seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction; is aware that this will have the detrimental effect of destabilising the balance of power; declares that Iran cannot now hope to be welcomed back into the family of nations as long as these issues remain unresolved; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to put these issues at the top of the agenda when holding discussions with the Government of Iran.

This motion has been signed by a total of 48 MPs.