Iran (Hansard, 4 April 1989)

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to European Economic Community Governments about the decision of those member states who have replaced their ambassadors in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
EC Foreign Ministers agreed on 20 March that their heads of mission, who had been temporarily withdrawn from Tehran for consultations, could return to Iran if national circumstances required this. Returning heads of mission will carry the strong message that the Iranian death threats remain unacceptable.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the recent agreement of the Council of Foreign Ministers on relations with Iran made provision for member states to consult the United Kingdom if they wished to reappoint ambassadors to Iran; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
We have kept in close contact with our European partners over our response to the Iranian threats against Salman Rushdie and his publishers. We have been heartened by the solidarity shown by the Twelve. The strong position of principle adopted on 20 February was reaffirmed by EC Foreign Ministers on 20 March. It was never intended that heads of mission should stay away indefinitely. The decision that heads of mission could return to Iran was taken after full consultation between the EC Foreign Ministers. The ban on high level contacts remains in place.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many member states of the European Economic Community closed their embassies in Iran following the decision of the United Kingdom to break off diplomatic relations with Iran.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
No member states of the EC closed their embassies in Iran following the break in diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Iran. All EC member states withdrew their heads of mission in Tehran for consultations in response to the Iranian threats against Salman Rushdie and his publishers.