The UK's Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) has published its report named "No Prosperity without jusice: the UK's relationship with Iran". Earlier in the year, the FAC requested evidence for their UK-Iran Inquiry 2020. Members of the Anglo-Iranian Political Prisoners Association submitted evidence and recommendations for the UK to take a different approach towards the Iranian regime.
Submission of Evidence
Anglo-Iranian Political Prisoners argued that UK policies towards Iran, including the FCO’s role in multilateral diplomacy, have given a ‘green light’ and empowered the Iranian governments of the present and past to commit atrocious human rights abuses, including mass executions of political opponents and prisoners. This is partly but significantly a consequence of the UK’s historical interference with Iranian politics, UK’s soft appeasement policy and failure to prosecute known perpetrators of crimes against humanity. In the submitted evidence, the Anglo-Iranian Political Prisoners highlighted past mistakes and the path for the future policies to solve past shortcomings.
Reference to Submission of Evidence
The report at point 43. made reference to evidence submitted by the Anglo-Iranian Political Prisoners:
43.Other witnesses were keen to emphasise that a distinction should be drawn between the Iranian state and the Iranian people. In written evidence, the Anglo-Iranian Political Prisoners Association stressed the importance of the Government gaining “the trust of Iranians if it is ever to have relations with Iran in the future” by making clear that concern is “for the country of Iran and its people, not the dictators ruling them”.
Reccomendations Made by the FAC
Proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
"The report finds that the actions of the IRGC meet the criteria for proscription in the Terrorism Act 2000, due to its clear and enduring support for terrorists and non-state actors working to undermine stability in the region".
"It recommends that the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary assess the available information on the IRGC with the intention of proscribing the organisation in its entirety.
This is a logical extension of the existing restrictions placed on members of the IRGC by the EU's sanctions regime and would follow the US’ decision to proscribe the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in 2019".
Protection of Iranian People
"The report emphasises the Iranian state’s disregard for the human rights of its citizens and calls on the UK to continue to express support for those suffering under the violence of the regime".
“The greatest victims of the Iranian regime are the Iranian people themselves".
"For too long innocent Iranians have suffered violence and human rights violations at the hands of their own government".
“It is right that we continue to call out and sanction this behaviour, but we need also to demonstrate that we will work with others to support the Iranian people.”
See the full report here:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmfaff/415/41502.htm
See the summary report here:
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/78/foreign-affairs-committee/news/137944/report-no-prosperity-without-justice-the-uks-relationship-with-iran/