Talkbacks ()

BERLIN – The Freedom Party, the Netherlands’s third-largest, has criticized The Hague’s decision to return its ambassador to Tehran earlier this month.The Dutch Foreign Ministry’s response to an extensive Freedom Party query on relations with the Islamic Republic was exclusively obtained by The Jerusalem Post last week.

The Freedom Party deputies suggested in one question that sending the ambassador back to Tehran sent the “wrong message” to Iran’s regime.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry responded, “The ambassador was called back for consultation as a sign of protest of the violent takeover of the British Embassy on November 29. Italy, Germany and France also recalled their ambassadors. This step was decided in close consultation with these countries and the UK. Italy sent back its ambassador in mid- December, the rest did so in the first week of January. It is in the interests of the countries involved to keep the channels of dialogue open with the Iranian authorities.”

The Freedom Party, led by Geert Wilders, poised hard-hitting questions to the ministry about the apparent lack of solidarity with Britain.

“Would you agree that sending the ambassador back is a slap in the face of the UK, an ally, whose embassy in Tehran was in a cowardly manner raided and plundered by people directly under the command of the Basij militia? If not, why not?” the Freedom Party deputies asked.

The Foreign Ministry answered “No.”

“By recalling the ambassador for consultation, the Netherlands stood in solidarity with the UK, and the UK specifically expressed its appreciation for this. The Netherlands has made it clear in the strongest terms to the Iranian regime that it regards the raiding of the embassy as a serious matter,” the ministry continued.

“The Netherlands is taking care of certain issues for the UK while it is not represented in that country, as do other European countries.”

After Iranian militiamen stormed British diplomatic facilities last year, including its embassy, the United Kingdom recalled its ambassador and expelled Iranian diplomats from London. Britain also severed ties with Iran’s Central Bank in November.

Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal and his British counterpart, William Hague, are the only top EU diplomats to not rule out military action against Iran.