EU under fire for meeting with Iranian MP involved in Holocaust denial
Boroujerdi is also drawing major criticism for his role in the Iran's crackdown of protests against the regime.
By BENJAMIN WEINTHALUpdated: JANUARY 26, 2018 00:15View of the European Parliament during a plenary session in Brussels, Belgium, March 2, 2017.(photo credit: REUTERS)
A scheduled meeting this week between the European Parliament and Iran’s Aladdin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Committee for Foreign Policy of the Iran’s parliament, sparked outrage because the MP participated in a conference featuring deniers of the Holocaust, and for his role in this month’s crackdown on protests against the Tehran regime.“Outrageous EP hosts Iranian delegation to talk about climate change, counter-terrorism and trade. Anything but human rights and Iran protests,” European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee co-chairman Anders Primdahl Visitsen tweeted on Sunday.The Danish MEP wrote last week on his Twitter feed that it was “Shocking” that the EU “will give floor to chair Foreign Affairs & National Security Committee at Iranian Majlis – key figure of violent crackdown on peaceful protests 2) holds counterterrorism seminar with biggest sponsor of terror in region & against own people!”Visitsen is a member of the Danish People’s Party, which is part of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
SHOCKING - Next week EP 1) will give floor to Chair Foreign Affairs & National Security Committee at Iranian Majlis - key figure of violent crack down on peaceful protests 2) holds counter-terrorism seminar with biggest sponsor of terror in region & against own people! #eudkpic.twitter.com/KCx9XdnjR1
European powers urge Trump to preserve Iran nuclear deal (REUTERS)Iran’s regime during late December and January allegedly murdered more than 20 citizens and incarcerated 3,700 people for protesting against the lack of political and economic democracy under the rule of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs plans to conduct an “exchange of views” with Boroujerdi covering “the Iranian position on regional developments, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and the current political situation in Iran.”The JCPOA is the formal name for the Iran nuclear deal. The EU wants to preserve the deal and the US government wants to enhance safeguards in the agreement.The NGO Stop the Bomb called on Tuesday for the EU Parliament to pull the plug on the meeting with Boroujerdi. The organization wrote, “Iranian oppositionists blame Boroujerdi for openly supporting the brutal oppression of the protest movement within the last weeks.In 2014 he participated in the New Horizon Conference in Tehran, an event that hosted Holocaust deniers and antisemitic conspiracists.Boroujerdi is responsible for the support of terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas.While the EU Parliament welcomes such people, German authorities have just uncovered assassination plans against Jewish institutions in Germany, plotted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”Stephan Grigat, academic director of Stop the Bomb, said: “Austrian politicians are fond of speaking at commemoration events about the responsibility regarding National Socialism. But what do they say when a participant of a conference of Holocaust deniers is invited to Brussels? Isn’t it a bother to anyone that a high representative of a regime that plans attacks against Jewish institutions in Europe shall be courted by the EU Parliament?” Stop the Bomb termed Iran’s parliament a phony legislative body.In 2011, Boroujerdi asked Iran’s Foreign Ministry “to expel the British ambassador from the country.”A number of Iranian MPs said at the time, “Death to Britain.”Boroujerdi was born in 1950 and speaks Arabic and Farsi. He is a loyal supporter of Khamenei, who has the final say over all matters in Iran.
