IRANIAN DIPLOMATIC DEFECTIONS

That this House notes that several senior diplomats have defected from the Iranian foreign service in revulsion at the actions of the Tehran regime; further notes that in so doing they are at risk of lethal reprisals against them and their families from the Iranian regime and that they have suffered an immediate loss of income; is deeply concerned that lack of support for these brave people will deter possibly many others in the Iranian diplomatic service from following their example; believes that those who have already defected or resigned their posts should be treated much better and that this could turn a trickle of defections into a flood that would illustrate the regime's growing lack of legitimacy with its own people as well as provide very useful information about how the Iranian regime operates which could accelerate the process whereby the Iranian people can change their regime; further believes that this would enable the Iranian people to proceed to peaceful democratic change that could see the reintegration of Iran into the international community and the resolution of key issues of concern to the UN and others such as the current regime's desire to become an armed nuclear power; and urges the Government to take up the issue of how defecting diplomats are treated with its counterparts in relevant countries.