MEPs urge governments to respect ruling on PMOI

One of the European Parliament’s vice presidents has asked the outgoing EU presidency France to make sure that the opposition group in exile the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI) is taken off the EU’s terrorist list in line with a recent court ruling. The PMOI has accused the European Union of seeking to “appease” Tehran by keeping the it blacklisted, as Europe tries to persuade Iran to curb its nuclear programme.

Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca said: “We, all the European Parliament members present, have demanded that the Council of Ministers respect the court’s decision.” He cited a Dec. 4 ruling by the European Court of Justice that EU governments had not provided sufficient proof to blacklist the group. Britain’s government has previously refused to accept other rulings casting doubt on the freezing of the PMOI’s funds. The opposition group has always protested against being on the list, and says it renounced violence in 2001.

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tags: Iran