[holding answer 17 June 2008]: The Government are deeply concerned by the overall human rights situation in Iran, including the treatment of the Baha'i community. The Baha'i faith is not officially recognised as a minority religion and consequently Baha'is are subject to institutional discrimination and persecution, for example restrictions on employment and education, anti-Baha'i propaganda campaigns in the state-run media and arbitrary arrests. We are particularly concerned that all the members of the informal group which co-ordinates Baha'i activities in Iran were arrested last month and we understand that further arrests of Baha'is have taken place in Esfahan and Ghaemshahr. The Government urges the Iranian government to address human rights concerns and uphold the international human rights standards that it has signed up to freely and regularly raises concerns about the treatment of the Baha'is with the Iranian authorities both bilaterally and through the EU. We have done so at least five times already this year. Most recently, following a recommendation by the UK, the EU issued a public declaration on 21 May expressing serious concern about the treatment of the Baha'is in Iran and calling for the release of the detained individuals.