By Hamid Bahrami
The formal inauguration ceremony of Rouhani’s second presidential term was held earlier this month. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, attended the event as a special guest.The Italian Commissioner is known to be one of the EU officials who supports a policy of appeasing the Iranian regime.
The EU’s foreign policy chief also met President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and the Foreign Policy Advisor of the Supreme Leader, Ali-Akbar Velayati.
Mogherini’s presence at the ceremony sends a shameful message and gives a green light to the Iranian government to continue its suppression of human rights in the country.
Economically, it is a fact that Iran presents a tempting opportunity for the EU. But aside from Iran’s malign actions in the Middle East and continued support for terrorism, one should ask the following question: Is the EU concerned about the human rights situation in Iran?
In reality, the EU has never put serious pressure on the Iranian government over human rights. Experts, human rights activists and members of the Iranian opposition have consistently asked the EU to make any economic relations with the regime in Tehran contingent upon verifiable improvements of the human rights situation and an end to executions, but the EU has always preferred trade.
It is a fact that since the revolution in 1979, the Iranian people have suffered greatly due to systematic human rights violations by the government.
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