Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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429. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current position regarding the joint comprehensive plan of action in respect of the Iran nuclear deal; if he will list the new sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran in the past few weeks following recent events there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54179/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York serves as UN Security Council Facilitator of Resolution 2231, which endorsed the Iranian nuclear deal, the JCPOA.

Through this work Ireland is doing our utmost to support implementation of the agreement, which offers the best means to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation. In this regard I have been in regular contact with my US, Iranian and European counterparts, as well as the Director General of the IAEA.

I am deeply concerned by Iran’s continued activities in non-compliance with the limits set in the JCPOA, including failure to observe limits on uranium enrichment, stockpiling, and nuclear research and development activities. Ireland has consistently called on Iran to return to full compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA, including in the course of my visits to Tehran, in my conversations with the Foreign Minister of Iran over recent months, and through Ireland’s engagement on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

I remain deeply concerned by Iran’s reduction in cooperation with the IAEA and commend IAEA Director General Grossi for his efforts to continue to fulfil the Agency’s mandate to monitor and verify Iran’s nuclear commitments. I have strongly urged Iran to return to full cooperation with the Agency as soon as possible, including to cooperate with the Agency to fully clarify and resolve safeguards issues without further delay.

While there was considerable progress made during the months of talks in Vienna, I am concerned that this has now stalled and Iran and the US have been unable to resolve the remaining bilateral obstacles to a deal. In my meetings with European and US counterparts, they have been clear that the US has gone as far as it can in the talks. We have spoken with those involved in negotiations, who are clear in their assessment that the deal on the table offers the best possible outcome for Iran.

It is clear Iran now needs to make a political decision. A return to the deal by all parties would lead to a relaxing of US sanctions and assure the international community of the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. The alternative could see potential for further regional escalation and conflict.

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I am deeply concerned about the unjustifiable and disproportionate response of the Iranian authorities to Iranian citizens protesting against the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, in police custody after her arrest for allegedly violating dress code regulations.

Ireland does not believe that anything short of full equality for women should be the objective, anywhere in the world. No woman should lose her life because of how she chooses to dress.

I commend the women and men of Iran who have exercised their fundamental right to assemble and protest. It is most regrettable that the response of the Iranian security and police forces has resulted in the further loss of lives, as well as a large number of injuries. The use of force against nonviolent protestors is unjustifiable and unacceptable. People in Iran have the right to peaceful protest. That right must be ensured in all circumstances. Iran is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). I call on the Iranian authorities to strictly abide by the principles enshrined in the ICCPR, including the right of peaceful assembly.

I have raised these issues related to the JCPOA, the protests, and Iran’s supply of drones to Russia directly with my Iranian counterpart, on 21 September at the UN General Assembly in New York, and via phone on 6 October. I reiterated Ireland’s concerns when I summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Iveagh House on 20 October. Ireland will continue to take a strong stand on these issues in our bilateral contacts with Iranian officials, and will work closely with our international partners to hold Iran accountable for its actions.

A number of different sanctions measures have been imposed by the EU on Iranian individuals and entities in recent weeks under different EU sanctions regimes. In light of the military support that Iran has provided to Russia, on 20 October five Iranian individuals and three Iranian entities involved in the development and delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Russia were listed under the Ukraine (Territorial Integrity) Sanctions Regime. This Regime sanctions individuals and entities who have taken actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. To date, 1236 individuals and 115 entities have been sanctioned under this regime, which was established in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

The individuals are:

1. Major-General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces;

2. Brigadier-General Saeed Aghajani, is Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force UAV Command;

3. General Sayed Hojatollah Qureishi, Head of the Supply, Research, and Industrial Affairs Division at the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics;

4. Major-General Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; and

5. Brigadier-General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force.

The entities are:

1. Shahed Aviation Industries, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force-linked company responsible for the design and development of the Shahed series of Iranian UAVs;

2. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, responsible for the development of Iran’s UAV programme; and

3. Qods Aviation Industries, an Iranian company that designs and manufactures UAVs. It is a subsidiary of the Iran Aviation Industries Organization, a state-owned enterprise subordinate to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.

On Monday 17 October, under the Iran (Human Rights) Sanctions Regime, eleven people and four entities sanctioned were listed for their role in the death of Mahsa Amini and the violent response to the recent demonstrations in Iran.

The individuals are:

1. Mohammed Rostami Cheshmehgachi, Head of Iran’s Morality Police;

2. Brigadier General Hossein Rahimi, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) in Tehran;

3. Abbas Abdi, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) in Divandarreh;

4. Colonel Haj Ahmad Mirzaei, Head of Iran’s Morality Police in Tehran;

5. Issa Zarepour, Minister of Information and Communications Technology;

6. Mohammad-Hossein Sephehr, Commander of the Iranian Central Training Base of the General Staff of the Armed Forces;

7. Colonel Sayd Ali Safari, Head of LEF in Saqqez;

8. Seyed Alireza Adyani, Head of the ideological-political officer of LEF;

9. Second Brigadier General Ali Azadi, Head of LEF in Kurdistan;

10. Colonel Mohammed Zaman Shalikar, Head of LEF in Babol, Mazandaran;

11. Colonel Salman Heidari, Head of LEF in Bukan.

The entities are:

1. Iran’s Morality Police, a special police unit of which enforces the strict dress rules for women;

2. Basij Resistance Force, a volunteer paramilitary organisation operating under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC);

3. Cyber Defence Command of the IRGC, which monitors websites, e-mails and online activities of individuals deemed to be political opponents;

4. Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a uniformed police force that engages in blatant and severe human rights violations, such as the indiscriminate shooting with live ammunition at peaceful protesters.