Activities of Notis MARIAS related to 2015/2274(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement (A8-0286/2016 - Richard Howitt) EL
EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement (debate) EL
Amendments (10)
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Insists on the importance of developing the parliamentary dimension of EU-Iran relations as part of the strategy for re-establishing mutual trust; reiterates its support, in this regard, for the proposal discussed between Parliament and the Majlis for an inter-parliamentary dialogue on counter-terrorism; welcomes the renewed political dialogue between the EU and Iran, including on human rights; recognises that while there is suspicion and mistrust on both sides, there is also a long history between many Member States and Iran and that Iran has a strong ambition to have good relations with Europe, which provides the potential for a relationship based on mutual trust and respect; reiterates that the EU does not seek to interfere in internal political choices in this country or in any other, but seeks cooperation based on mutual respect for international standards and principles; believes that the full normalisation of relations can only occur by means of regular and sustained dialogue and that the immediate priority should be to broaden the scope of EU-Iran relations in areas where there is common agreement to do so; believes, however, that the ultimate aim must be one of partnership between Iran and the EU;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes note of Iran’s stated objective of achieving a yearly growth rate of 8 %; believes that European investments are key for Iran to achieve this goal; stresses that forencourages Iran to realise its economic potential, it will have to take steps to create a transparent economic environment conducive to international investment and to take anti-corruption measures, particularly regarding compliance with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force; calls on the EU to fully support Iran’s efforts in this process via, in particular, support for work towards forging a bilateral investment treaty between the EU and Iran; calls for the EU to develop economic cooperation with Iran; takes note that Iran is the world’s largest economy outside the WTO; supports, in this regard, Iran’s bid to join the WTO;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. RecallsExpresses its regret at the impact that extraterritorial US sanctions, in particular US-related sanctions on banks, have on businesses willing to invest in Iran; insists on the need to address this and other financial matters to create the necessary conditions for businesses to prosper in Iran and contribute to Iranians feeling relief from sanctions in their everyday lives;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Believes that the lifting of sanctions by the EU and the international community as laid down in the JCPOA is an important element in demonstrating European good faith towards Iran, as well as providing mutual economic benefit; calls for emphasis to be placed on the quality as well as on the quantity of investments, and for an initiative to assess whether new investments uphold the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights similar to that undertaken when sanctions were lifted in Myanmar/Burma;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes note that because of its geostrategic location, the size of its population, its oil and natural gas reserves and its influence in the region, Iran is a major playerfactor of stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region; stresses that the pursuit of Iranian interests does not and should not be in competition with other major players in the region;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Believes the EU-Iran political dialogue should call on Iran to play a constructive role in solving the political crises in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan, based on respect for international law and the sovereignty of these countries; calls, in this regard, for a model of EU diplomacy based on political rather than religious differences and on the principle of ensuring respect, safety and security for peoples in all countries in the Middle East, without exception;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes Iran’s readiness to support the current efforts to bring stability to Iraq, and calls for additional efforts to bring all the militias operating in the country under the authority of the Iraqi army; welcomeapplauds Iran’s contribution to the fight against ISIS/Da’esh; notes the agreement between Iran and Australia to share intelligence on the fight against ISIS/Da’esh;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Believes that regional rivalries are an underlying factor in conflicts in several countries in the region; calls for active EU diplomacy to de-escalate tensions between Tehran and Riyadh, including confidence building, track II diplomacy and de- escalation measures in the normalisation of their relations; calls on the EU to work with the US and Russia to that end and, in particular, in supporting the development of a new regional security infrastructure that takes into account Iran and Saudi Arabia’s threat perceptions and legitimate security concerns and provides security guarantees both to Iran and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council; stresses that cooperation on maritime security in the Persian Gulf, including the signing of a charter on free navigation, could be a first confidence-building measure in developing regional trust and cooperation;
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Believes that Iran’s revolutionary legacy and its constitution as an Islamic StateRepublic must not be an impediment for finding common ground on matters related to democracy or human rights;
Amendment 466 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes President Rohani’s campaign promise to present a charter for citizens’ rights; underlines the importance of respecting the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in providing the necessary legal certainty required for foreign direct investments to take place; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to work together with the Iranian authorities in areas such as judicial reform, reform of the prison system, government accountability, respect for the rule of law, citizens’ rights and the fight against corruption; believes that these measures will increase legal certainty in Iran and the country’s attractiveness to foreign investors while also benefiting Iranian citizens.