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Friday, October 18th 2013

STOP THE BOMB demands cancellation of Iran trip by Hannes Swoboda MEP

Iran visit of Members of European Parliament weakens Western position

The European coalition STOP THE BOMB, which campaigns for tough economic and political sanctions against the Iranian regime, demands the cancellation of the trip to Iran by Hannes Swoboda MEP, President of the Social Democratic Group (S&D) in the European Parliament, and his colleagues, scheduled for October 19th.

STOP THE BOMB’s spokesperson for Europe, Michael Spaney cautions: „In a situation, when Western countries are trying to maintain a common position towards the Iranian regime, such a trip is completely inappropriate. Despite the recent negotiations in Geneva and Hassan Rouhani’s charme offensive, the centrifuges of the Iranian nuclear program are still spinning to enrich Uranium. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have meanwhile taken over the command in the Syrian civil war. Numerous regime representatives have repeated the annihilation threats against Israel since Rouhani’s inauguration. The regime also continues with the brutal oppression of any opposition inside Iran. Homosexuals are still threatened by the death penalty; the persecution of Bahai and other minorities has not changed at all. Against this background, this trip would send the completely wrong message and foster the openly announced tactics of Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif, to divide Europe and the US.”

Stefan Schaden, spokesperson of STOP THE BOMB in Austria, directly addresses Hannes Swoboda: “We demand the immediate cancellation of your visit to the Iranian regime. This trip entirely contradicts the spirit of the EU sanctions, which are still in place. It undermines the international efforts for a common position towards the Iranian regime. Instead of increasing pressure on Tehran, this trip offers the regime the possibility to celebrate yet another propaganda success. It would be appalling to see it was an Austrian politician who helps the Iranian regime of Holocaust deniers to become respectable again.“




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