European Countries Denounce Iran's Violence Against Protesters
The United Kingdom delivered a sharp rebuke, hauling in Iran's envoy to demand answers. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in an update on Iran in the House of Commons that the UK summoned the Iranian envoy to demand Tehran "answer for the horrific reports" about violence and killings of demonstrators.
France's diplomatic offensive matched Britain's intensity. The French Foreign Ministry said the Iranian envoy was summoned to the ministry as Paris condemned "in the strongest terms the state violence inflicted indiscriminately on peaceful demonstrators."
Berlin escalated rhetoric beyond mere condemnation. Germany also summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the violent crackdown on demonstrations, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz predicted that the regime is living through its "final days and weeks."
Italy's rebuke came from Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who called in Mohammad Reza Sabouri over what he termed an "extremely high price" in blood being paid by protesters, declaring it "absolutely unacceptable."
The European Union's top official signaled imminent punitive measures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the rising number of casualties is "horrifying."
"I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom," she said, adding that in close cooperation with the bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, additional sanctions on those responsible for the repression will be swiftly proposed.
Madrid joined the diplomatic barrage. Spain joined and summoned the Iranian ambassador, Reza Zabib, to convey its rejection of Tehran's crackdown on protesters, according to Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.
"We want to express our strong repudiation and condemnation of what has been happening for days in Iran," Albares told Catalunya Radio. "We are watching this closely and with great concern."
Finland's top diplomat accused Tehran of creating a digital blackout to enable atrocities. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen wrote on US social media company X that Iran's regime has shut down the internet "to be able to kill and oppress in silence."
"I will summon the Iranian ambassador this morning," said the foreign minister.
Portugal added its voice to the chorus of condemnation. The Portuguese Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Iranian envov to condemn "violent repression of the demonstrations" and to make clear that the rights of Iranians must be respected.
The Netherlands delivered an equally forceful message. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel also summoned the Iranian envoy, expressing that he was "deeply shocked by the bloody repression of peaceful demonstrations in Iran."
Ireland's leader emphasized existing punitive measures while demanding change. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin noted that his country already has sanctions against Iran, along with his EU colleagues.
"We have called for an end to the repression. There is a need for different governance, greater freedoms, the right to free assembly and free speech," he noted.
The nationwide upheaval erupted in late December following the Iranian currency's catastrophic decline. Iran has been rocked by protests since late December, beginning at Tehran's Grand Bazaar on Dec. 28, amid a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several cities across the country.
Tehran has deflected accountability by alleging foreign manipulation. Iranian officials have accused the US and Israel of backing "riots" and "terrorism."
Official death tolls remain unavailable from Iranian authorities. There are no official casualty figures, but HRANA, a US-based rights group, said that at least 646 people have been killed, including security forces and protesters, with more than 1,000 injured.
Mass detentions have reached staggering levels nationwide. The group reported that more than 10,000 have been detained at 585 locations nationwide, including 186 cities across all 31 provinces.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
