On 12th April 2016, FIDH and its Iranian leagues LDDHI and DHRC sent this open letter to Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, ahead of her visit to Iran on 16-17 April 2016.
Madame High Representative,
Ahead of your upcoming visit to Tehran, we write to remind you of the legal obligation embedded in Article 21 of the Treaty of the European Union that the EU’s foreign policy shall be guided by the advancement of human rights around the world, an obligation which was concretised under specific commitments in the EU strategic framework and action plans on human rights and democracy.
Your upcoming visit is scheduled at a decisive moment for the development of the EU’s relations with Iran. Following the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions, we have already seen the beginning of increasing cooperation between EU member states and Iran in a number of areas, including trade, energy and technology. However, we must also keep in mind that these increasing ties also amplify the EU’s position and influence in the support of human rights. Read more
