Iran report welcomed
THE findings of a Senate committee’s inquiry into the partial lifting of suspension of sanctions against Iran, released last week, have been welcomed by Melbourne Ports MP Michael Danby and Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) executive director Peter Wertheim.
THE findings of a Senate committee’s inquiry into the partial lifting of suspension of sanctions against Iran, released last week, have been welcomed by Melbourne Ports MP Michael Danby and Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) executive director Peter Wertheim.
A key recommendation in the report is that the Australian government undertakes a review of all sanctions it has removed in relation to Iran to determine if they are compatible with Australia’s interests, values and principles, “and not just whether it [Australia] follows the approach of the European Union”.
During last month’s public hearing in Sydney, at which Danby and Wertheim spoke, it was confirmed in partially lifting the sanctions that Australia had followed Europe’s decision to only continue to prohibit trade with 91 individuals or entities in Iran, compared to the USA’s 225.
The report recommends the review “should include considering the approach that the United States has taken”, and requests the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade publish on its website a detailed statement explaining the change in Australia’s sanctions policy towards Iran, “and why sanctions relief was granted to particular activities, persons and entities and not others”.
The report also recommends Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Julie Bishop consider the value of undertaking public consultation on any changes to Australia’s autonomous sanctions regimes. It further urges the government to issue a statement affirming its continued concerns over the domestic and foreign policies of the Iranian regime, and recommends that the government “continues to make such statements as appropriate”.
Wertheim told The AJN that ECAJ endorses each of the recommendations and “any future government that acts contrary to the committee’s recommendations will have much explaining to do to the Parliament and to the Australian people”.
Wertheim added, “We would also have liked the committee to adopt our recommendation that, for security and other reasons, there should be no additional diplomatic representation of Iran in Australia other than its Embassy in Canberra.
“This restriction should apply until the Australian government, after public consultation, is satisfied that Iran no longer supports international terrorism and no longer threatens regional and international peace and security.”
Danby said the committee uncovered useful information.
“It is a great shame that the government and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop took the approach to the lifting of sanctions that they did, but this Senate Inquiry, ordered by the Opposition, will hopefully make a positive contribution to scrutinising and improving Australia’s policy towards Iran.”
SHANE DESIATNIK
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