Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora (L) attends the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new President Ebrahim Raisi at the Iranian parliament in the capital Tehran on August 5, 2021. (Atta Kenare/AFP)
Nine members of the European Parliament send a letter to the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, blasting the decision to send a senior EU diplomat to Tehran for the inauguration of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
“Sending such senior representation to the inauguration of a president with such a dark record, at this sensitive time, contradicts European commitments to uphold and stand up for human rights,” write the MEPs.
The parliamentarians call Raisi’s electoral victory in June “a sham election” and decry his “appalling record of personal responsibility for the most heinous of human rights abuses.”
Borrell sent the EU point man on the Vienna nuclear talks, Enrique Mora, to last Thursday’s ceremony in Iran.
“It is hardly fitting to honor President Raisi’s inauguration with the presence of one of the EU’s most senior diplomats,” they write. “It seems even more incongruous given Mr. Mora’s senior role in coordinating the nuclear talks in Vienna. His presence risks giving the impression that the EU’s overwhelming concern is the nuclear agreement, to the point of ignoring severe Iranian human rights abuses. While mass protests against the regime are taking place across Iran, the EU comes across as ignoring the voice of the Iranian people.”
European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora (R) and the leader of the Palestinian terror group, Ismail Haniyeh (L), at the inauguration of Iran’s new President Ebrahim Raisi at the Iranian parliament in the capital Tehran on August 5, 2021. (Atta Kenare/AFP)
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 9, 2021
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