Italian Foreign Affairs Committee, Resolution about Iran presented on November 30th, 2011
By MPs Fiamma Nirenstein (Pdl), Paolo Corsini (Pd), Ferdinando Adornato (Udc)
The Foreign Affairs Committee
Whereas:
The latest International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, released on November 8th, has revealed that Iran is at an advanced stage of nuclear weapon development, contradicting previous Iranian claims of uranium enrichment solely for civilian purposes;
The report clarifies how Iran has conducted “activities relevant to development of a nuclear explosive device”, referring in particular to four efforts still under way: 1) efforts, some successful, to procure nuclear-related and dual use equipment and materials by military-related individuals and entities; 2) efforts to develop undeclared pathways for the production of nuclear material; 3) the acquisition of nuclear weapons development information and documentation from a clandestine nuclear supply network; 4) work on the development of an indigenous design of a nuclear weapon including the testing of components;
The IAEA report explains how the current development of nuclear facilities under way in Iran is only explicable by their future usage on Shahab-3 missiles, already in Iranian possession. These missiles have a range of 2000km and the capability of reaching Israel, while their next versions (Shahab-4 and 5), under development in Iran, could reach targets in Western Europe;
After the release of the report, the United States, through Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, announced new sanctions against Iran, aimed specifically at the energy and finance sectors; President Barack Obama declared that “as long as Iran continues down this dangerous path, the United States will continue to find ways, both in concert with our partners and through our own actions, to isolate and increase the pressure upon the Iranian regime”;
The United Kingdom decided to cut every financial tie with the Iranian regime, since, as stated by British Foreign Secretary William Hague “the IAEA report provided further credible and detailed evidence about the possible military dimensions of the Iranian nuclear program”. In retaliation, the Iranian parliament passed a law calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to cut its relationship with Great Britain in two weeks time. In addition, the British Embassy was attacked and harassed on November 29th by a crowd which, without any intervention by the Iranian security forces, sequestered six British diplomats for several hours;
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, has stated on November 22nd that Italy fully supports the new plan for economic sanctions against Iran, as announced by the American administration, since “the conclusions of the last IAEA report have provided further reasons for concern to the international community”; the Minister also stated that “Italy is active on the European level in order to have the EU adopt similar sanctions to those initiated by the United States as soon as possible”;
On November 22nd, EU governments reached a preliminary deal on new sanctions against Iran, paving the way to adding close to 190 people and entities whose assets would be frozen and who would be banned from travelling;
The UN Human Rights Council has recently closed its periodic review of the status of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The report states that serious violations of human rights are present at every level, in particular as related to women, political objectors, students who took part in the “Green Movement” after the controversial presidential elections in 2009, and homosexuals;
on November 21st, the UN General Assembly passed its annual resolution condemning human rights violations on Iran, with 86 “yes” (six more than the previous year), while the opponents decreased from 44 to 32;
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly threatened Israel and the United States during his term in office, most recently on September 23rd from the United Nations podium, clearly indicating that the free world and the Western way of life are his sworn enemies;
Commits the Government:
to ensure the full enforcement of sanctions previously adopted by the EU and the UN;
to urge the EU to reach a strong joint position aimed at undertaking every necessary action to tighten the sanctions against the Iranian regime, in an attempt to discourage it from carrying its nuclear program forward;
to support the IAEA in its commitment against nuclear proliferation and for a complete investigation of the advancement of Iranian nuclear plans.
NIRENSTEIN, CORSINI, ADORNATO
November 30th, 2011