§ 32. Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, What steps are being taken by the Government to encourage the Government of Iran to guarantee human rights for all its citizens. [77195]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe raise human rights issues with the Iranian authorities at all levels. My right honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary did so while in Iran on 9 October. We supported the recent EU decision to establish a formal dialogue on human rights with Iran with the hope that this will bring about improvements in Iran's respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We have made clear that we expect to see concrete results and will assess progress before taking a decision on whether to sponsor a resolution at the Commission on Human Rights.