EU Sanctions (Iran)

Steve McCabe Excerpts
Tuesday 24th January 2012

(12 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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I am reporting to the House on the European Union sanctions. As my hon. Friend will gather, I am not advocating military action, and if he is asking about other areas of activity, I cannot go into them in the House.

Steve McCabe Portrait Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)
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The Government have rightly gained credit for the support that they have shown opposition movements elsewhere during the Arab spring. Why do they set their face so implacably against opposition movements when it comes to Iran?

Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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I am not aware that that is our approach. Indeed, I deplored earlier the house arrest and imprisonment of opposition leaders in Iran, and the brutal and repressive treatment of opposition spokesmen and demonstrations. At the same time, the future of Iran is for the Iranian people—at least, we hope so. It is very important that opposition movements with which anyone in this country associates themselves are credible and likely to represent the Iranian people.