European Companies Should Not Ignore Iran's Poor Human Rights Record

Following the global agreement on Iran's nuclear program and in anticipation of the lifting of most economic sanctions against Iran, the movement of European and Iranian government officials between Tehran and European capitals has intensified, all seeking to discuss new diplomatic and economic relations with Iran. While the nuclear deal is an important achievement for peace and diplomacy, which I and many others in the Iranian human rights community support, there remains concern that the 'Welcome' sign Iran has placed on its entrance may obscure significant human rights issues. European governments should not allow their eagerness to renew engagement with Iran and its markets to overshadow the country’s urgent need for human rights reforms. Instead, the same diplomatic and economic channels that are being established should be used to hold Iran accountable for its human rights record. Ending Iran's global isolation is likely to be a positive event for many ordinary Iranians. However, as Europe begins trade with Iran, it cannot assume that mere engagement will fundamentally improve people's lives. Iran is still a country where journalists and lawyers are imprisoned for doing their jobs, women cannot travel or work without their husband's permission, public floggings and amputations are carried out, and people are executed more than in almost any other place in the world. Moreover, human rights violations often entrap businesses, whether through government surveillance programs implemented in the IT sector or discriminatory policies that lead to the closure of businesses owned by members of the Baha'i community or systematic corruption that continues largely unchecked. If the European Union and other European governments want to ensure that diplomatic and economic cooperation with Iran improves and does not worsen the country’s human rights situation, they must undertake four key actions. Among these, they should maintain their focus on Iran at the United Nations, complement multilateral efforts through bilateral dialogues, closely collaborate with Iranian civil society, and establish standards for business and social responsibilities. In recent months, Iran has sought to establish new bilateral dialogues with many UN member countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Brazil, South Korea, and South Africa. These dialogues could be effective avenues for promoting human rights, but foreign countries must remain vigilant. The Iranian government’s initial intent is to address human rights issues in separate discussions. Iran seeks to minimize public scrutiny from within the UN system and prevent the voices of human rights defenders and Iranian civil society from being heard in the discussions. We witnessed this before in 2002 when a human rights dialogue between the EU and Iran was established as an alternative to appointing a special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran. According to the EU itself, this dialogue went nowhere, and in 2009, when human rights violations surged following the disputed presidential elections, the UN had no expert on the ground to address the crisis. This is why Europe and its partners must leverage the broad legitimacy of the UN system and continue to support the two annual resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, which appoint a special rapporteur for Iran. Outside the UN, European governments can effectively pursue bilateral dialogues with the Islamic Republic of Iran, provided that these dialogues are measured and focused on specific human rights issues and violations. Otherwise, Iranian officials will again attempt to undermine the impact of such relations. For instance, Iran's judiciary chief, Sadegh Larijani, recently met with Austrian President Heinz Fischer and proposed a bilateral dialogue on the 'philosophy' of human rights. However, human rights defenders and political prisoners rotting in Iranian prisons cannot engage in abstract philosophical discussions with their Iranian counterparts. The issues and lives of real human beings are at stake here. The role of Iranian civil society, both inside the country and in exile, is crucial. The EU must support Iranian human rights defenders and collaborate with them to shape a program that can genuinely make an impact. Iranian human rights defenders know better than anyone else what is needed and what is achievable. Ultimately, any commercial investment in Iran must establish necessary standards for social responsibility. A few years ago, when Nokia-Siemens provided telecommunications technology to Iran, it was used to track, monitor, and arrest activists, resulting in several of these individuals spending years in prison. Siemens and other European countries wishing to re-enter Iranian markets are obligated to ensure that, as stated in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, their trade does not contribute to human rights violations by the Iranian government. Additionally, the European Parliament and each government should establish human rights reporting requirements for companies operating in Iran. These requirements will encourage companies to assess the human rights impact of their trade with Iran and report this assessment transparently. In the end, investors will also benefit from the stability and freedom that human rights reforms, especially those strengthening the rule of law, will bring. Interest in establishing economic ties with Iran is currently very high. For many in Europe, it is now time to end the increasing political tensions of the past decade. I hope Europe can see beyond the significant financial allure and recognize the current conditions as an opportunity to help many individuals in Iran who still cannot enjoy basic human freedoms. If we abandon Iran at this time, there may not be another opportunity.