§ Mr. Temple-MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the National Council of Resistance of Iran; and if he will make a statement. [33714]
§ Mr. HanleyIt is our long-standing policy not to have any official contact with the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The NCRI is a coalition dominated by the Mojahedin-e-Khalq—MKO—Islamic group, which has a long history of involvement with Iraq.
The MKO has been seeking western support by portraying itself as a "democratic" alternative to the present Iranian regime. It is difficult to reconcile this with the MKO's history of violence. Our European and US partners share our general approach to the MKO. We have no intention of recognising it as an alternative to the present Government in Tehran.