Iranian Security Forces Prevent European Parliament Delegation from Holding Press Conference

Iranian security forces have prevented the European Parliament delegation from holding a press conference in Tehran. According to a report by the German news agency, this incident has angered officials from the European Union. The European Parliament delegation, which has been in Iran recently and met with senior officials of the Islamic Republic, had invited Western media to attend a press conference on Sunday, June 17, at the hotel where the delegation was staying. However, Iranian security forces claimed that the hotel had not granted permission for the conference and prevented it from taking place. Following this incident, Elmar Brok, the German head of the European Parliament delegation, was even barred from conducting a brief interview with the media outside the hotel, and security personnel dispersed journalists. In response to this issue, the European Parliament delegation promised the media that they would speak with them over the phone and also canceled their interview with the official television of the Islamic Republic. The French news agency also reported that a security official threatened journalists and photographers not to capture any footage of the disrupted press conference, warning that they would face 'consequences' otherwise. According to these reports, Mr. Brok was extremely angry and told the Iranian security forces, 'You cannot prevent me from speaking to reporters.' However, security officials told the head of the European Parliament delegation that he did not have the right to interview the media. The European Parliament delegation, during its two-day visit to Iran, which ends on Sunday night, met with Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister, Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and several other members of the Iranian parliament. Human rights, Iran's nuclear file, and relations with Iran were the main topics discussed during this visit.