The House of Representatives believes that the Netherlands should take the lead in Europe in measures against those in power in Iran. Europe should work with the United States “and other countries of the free world,” write the leaders of ten parties in an opinion piece in de Volkskrant. “We can work with all countries and seek dialogue, but we stand up when people and their rights, their freedom and their lives are at stake.”
The article follows a motion in parliament to add the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to the list of terrorist organizations, against which only the Forum for Democracy voted. The opinion was signed by the coalition party chairmen (VVD, D66, CDA and ChristenUnie) and PvdA, SP, GroenLinks, Denk, JA21 and SGP.
Apply pressure
Millions of Iranian women and men want freedom, fight for that freedom and do so at the risk of their lives. They therefore believe that they deserve support. “The Iranian regime violates universal human rights and through its military activities also poses a threat to international security. That is why we must put more pressure on this regime.’
The parties believe that the Netherlands should submit a proposal to the EU to list the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation. They are also calling for sanctions against “specific persons of the Iranian regime and their close relatives”, as has already happened with powerful Russians. “This way we prevent them from violating freedoms in Iran and then we come to enjoy our freedoms here, for example, in our universities. And this is how we protect the Iranians here, so that they don’t just have to confront (family members of) their oppressors from Iran.’
To punish
The sides are also calling for better sanctions enforcement, including improved information sharing and punishing countries if they help Iranians evade sanctions. The security services should inform companies better ‘so that a business owner can also find out whether a Dubai company is actually an Iranian company that is evading sanctions’. Furthermore, Iranians in Europe need to be better protected from threats and intimidation by the Iranian government.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
