Emergency meeting on Iran convened in Parliament - 19th July 6.30pm
A meeting will be held on Monday to discuss the current crisis with Iran ahead of the 76 day Parliamentary recess. The meeting will bring MP's and Peers together with security analysts and Middle East experts to explore ways to resolve the standoff and to assess both the dangers of military intervention and the risks associated with not taking action.
The meeting - "Iran: Which way Forward?" - jointly convened by the Westminster Committee on Iran, the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) and the Oxford Research Group, aims to provide a forum for opinions from all sides to be aired. The panel includes Jeremy Corbyn MP; Sadeq Saba, Head of BBC Persian Service who will give a his view of the mood in Iran; Dr Alan Mendoza, Executive director of the Henry Jackson Society who favours regime change in Iran and Ben Zala a security analyst with the Oxford Research Group which has just published a report warning of the dangers of military action.
Stefan Simanowitz of the Westminster Committee on Iran who will chair the meeting said today:
“With rhetoric on both sides ratcheting up, a fourth round of UN sanctions, unilateral US and EU sanctions and reports of military build-up in the Gulf, now is an important time for all MP's and policy-makers to come together to discuss a subject which is by far the most important of this Parliamentary session.”
Paul Ingram, the Executive Director of BASIC, who will start the meeting by giving an overview of the current situation said today:
“Our handling of Iran’s nuclear programme is a test of the non-proliferation regime. The demonization of Iran is such that it appears we are on a one-track punitive response even though few believe it will work but lack the imagination or belief in other options.”
TIME: 6.30PM - 8.30PM July 19TH
PLACE: Palace of Westminster
CONTACT: 01929 480842
The meeting is open to the press but camera crews cannot be accomodated.
Members of the press and the public who would like to attend can book a place by emailing stefanowitz2@hotmail.com
SPEAKERS
Sadeq Saba, Head of BBC Persian Service
Jeremy Corbyn, MP
Dr Alan Mendoza, (Executive Director, Henry Jackson Society)
Paul Ingram (Executive Director, British American Security Information Council)
Ben Zala (Security analyst, Oxford Research Group)
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