Majlis invites European parliamentary groups to Iran

Iran Majlis has invited parliamentary friendship groups from Britain, Belgium, Switzerland and Greece to visit the Islamic Republic.

“Over the past two weeks, I had meetings with the ambassadors of Switzerland, Belgium and Greece and invited my peers in these countries to travel to Iran,” said member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Abbasali Mansouri Arani, who heads Iran’s friendship groups with the four European states, on Friday.

Mansouri Arani also noted that he has invited former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who heads Britain-Iran parliamentary friendship group, to travel to the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian lawmaker said Straw has not officially replied to the invitation, but according to unofficial accounts, he has accepted the invitation.

On November 13, Britain declared its decision to revive diplomatic ties with Iran by appointing a non-resident charge d’affaires.

On November 27, 2011, Iranian lawmakers voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic ties with the UK, in response to Britain’s decision to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran over the false allegation that Tehran’s nuclear program may include a covert military agenda. On November 30, London withdrew its diplomatic staff from Iran and the Iranian mission in London also returned to the Islamic Republic.

“Parliamentary groups facilitate the promotion of Iran’s ties with different countries and they have a good effect on assisting the Foreign Ministry to promote relations,” Mansouri Arani said.

The Iranian lawmaker noted that European parliamentary groups visiting Iran will be in a good position to inform their respective countries of Iran’s progress and the ineffectiveness of sanctions against the country.

At the beginning of 2012, the European Union placed an embargo on Iranian oil and petrochemicals exports, banned the trade of precious metals as well as transactions with the Central Bank of Iran, and froze Iranian assets across the bloc. The sanctions came into effect as of July 1, 2012