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The government must work faster and harder in a European context with sanctions against Iran. Even high-ranking Iranians need to be treated more harshly, say ten parliamentary group leaders in one opinion piece in De Volkskrant.
It concerns the political groups of CDA, ChristenUnie, D66, Denk, GroenLinks, JA21, PvdA, SGP, SP and VVD. They believe that the Netherlands themselves, but also in an EU context, should exert “greater pressure” on the Iranian regime, which “tramples on universal human rights”.
“The cabinet has not done enough so far and needs to take a step,” says Segers, leader of ChristenUnie in the Radio 1 newspaper. Faction leaders believe the cabinet should hurry, as the regime is executing more and more protesters.
“A new year has begun for us here in the Netherlands, but in Iran the situation is still the same grim as last year,” they write in the letter. “It started in September with the death of Mahsa Amini and after that there was no stopping it and the Iranian people took to the streets en masse. Millions of Iranian women and men want freedom, they fight for that freedom and they do it in risk of their lives”.
Too quiet
“We’ve been too quiet,” Segers says. Previously, the House passed several motions, including a proposal to list Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. “The Guard is the backbone of the Iranian regime which is now hanging its own people.”
Although the factions had previously spoken in the House, they now felt the letter was necessary. According to Segers, the time has come to “raise our voices”. “Now, when I see those who are in danger of being hanged now… they are young people who have a lot of courage. It is our responsibility to stand up and try to get support in Europe for further steps.”
In the letter, the parties write that Iran’s military activities are also “a threat to international security”. The parties want more specific sanctions against regime individuals responsible for serious crimes committed against Iranian citizens. They also want more efforts to punish countries that help Iran circumvent sanctions.
“Completely unacceptable”
Prime Minister Rutte and Foreign Minister Hoekstra will receive a group of Dutch Iranians on Tuesday. They are also calling for stronger action. Hoekstra says in a response that he agrees with the parties that pressure on Iran must remain high. He points out that the cabinet is also doing the same in an EU context.
“The protests in Iran are incredibly courageous. For protesters to be prosecuted for it, and in some cases even given the death penalty, is completely unacceptable,” Hoekstra said.
Hoekstra says different methods are used. “In our dealings with Iran, we express in the clearest terms our concerns and dissatisfaction with the current situation in Iran, and call for an abstention from executions. I spoke with the Iranian foreign minister there in New York during the AVVN immediately addressed this and then several times, most recently on December 22. And I will continue to do so.”
Packages with sanctions are also being evaluated in Brussels. This is now being worked on together with other member states, says Hoekstra.
