Struan Stevenson, Former Conservative MEP and President of the European Iraqi Freedom Association, has written an article in which he voices his opinions regarding the reluctance of the Scottish National Party (SNP) to pursue Alex Salmond’s idea about building strong trade and cultural links with Iran.
Mr Stevenson points out that Iran has an atrocious human rights record and their financing and export of terror is “second to none”. The Iranian regime, he said, has caused unrest throughout the country.
He said that the “rising tide of protests” in the country has provoked a “brutal backlash by the clerical authorities”. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, recognised the serious threat that recent demonstrations were causing and told senior security officials several weeks ago that it was a “high priority” to impose further repressive measures throughout the country.
Mr Stevenson highlighted that since Rouhani took office in 2013, this “moderate” president has overseen the execution of over 2,300 men and 66 women in Iran, many of which have been carried out in public. This, he said, has been going on while “the West continues to applaud the smiling president Hassan Rouhani”. The West, despite the appalling actions of the regime, is “now beating a path to the door of this regime, drooling at the prospect of rich profits to be reaped following the ending of sanctions in the wake of President Obama’s deeply flawed nuclear deal.”
He claims that Mr Salmond is “spellbound” by Iran after his recent visit to Tehran. He describes Mr Salmond as “blissfully unaware” of the regime’s meddling in Middle Eastern conflict zones. He ignores the fact that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have been supplying arms, money and military personnel to war zones.
“For once, the SNP government has taken the right decision,” Mr Stevenson said. “Scotland should think long and hard before it does business with Tehran. Those who put profits before people and human rights will not be quickly forgiven when this criminal regime is overthrown and freedom and democracy are restored in Iran.”
