Joint Conference by BPCIF and EIFA in the House of Commons

At a conference in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 18th March, Iraq experts and cross party panellists from both Houses of Parliament discussed the current crisis in Iraq and the essential components for a successful policy to defeat terrorist groups like ISIS and Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias.

The keynote speaker Struan Stevenson, who chaired the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq (2009-2014) and President of the European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA), presented his comprehensive report on Iraq which concludes that Iran’s strategy for regional supremacy has facilitated the rise of extremist groups like ISIS.

“The Iranian regime has manipulated the current crisis to spread their theocratic domain across large swathes of Iraq, under the pretext that they are protecting sacred Shiia shrines and fighting a war against terrorists…Yet, ironically, the inspiration for all of these jihadist groups is the theocratic regime in Iran”, said Struan Stevenson.

Struan Stevenson concluded that “The only way to eradicate ISIS is to recruit the Sunni tribes. They rose up once before and defeated al-Qaeda during the American “surge”. They can do so again, but only if their hated enemies – the Shiia militias are driven from Iraq… By backing Shiia paramilitary forces in Iraq, Tehran breaches UN Security Council's arms embargo aiming to divert attentions from the domestic crisis and to crush the Iranian people's aspiration for democratic change. It is madness for the Americans to support Iran in this catastrophic adventure.”

Others attending the conference were: the Rt Hon. David Jones MP, former Secretary of State for Wales; Sir David Amess MP, Co-chair of the the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom (BPCIF); Dr Tahar Boumedra, former UN Human Rights Chief in Iraq; Steve McCabe MP; Sir Roger Gale MP; the Rt Hon. Lord Dholakia; and the Lord Maginnis of Drumglass.

“A clear UK strategy in Iraq, in order to succeed, must include the provisions set out in the EDM343 Iraq and Camp Liberty that states, the rejection of Iran's intervention by the new Iraqi government is vital for the promotion of democracy in that country”, David Jones MP, who together with over 110 MPs supported this parliamentary motion, said.
 
"The EDM urges the government of Iraq to lift the current inhumane siege on the camp, recognizing this camp as a UN refugee camp and guarantee the safety, security and the rights of its residents”, he added.

Sir David Amess MP raised the BPCIF's concern over the alarming situation at Camp Liberty and said “if for whatever reason the International Community, the UN or the US are unwilling to step in to provide protection for the defenceless Iranian refugees in Camp Liberty, then the only moral and honest thing to do is to at least provide them with the means so that they can protect themselves and their home against aggressions by the Quds-force and Iranian-backed militias."

For Mr Stevenson 's report on Iraq, please visit: http://eu-iraq.org