Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU strongly condemns the brutal suppression of demonstrations. “Those responsible for these actions will be remembered as those who were on the wrong side of history.” – wrote X on the social media platform.
Entry: EC heads on the X platform
She added that the European Union is calling for the release of people arrested during the protests, as well as for the restoration of full access to the Internet in the country and respect for fundamental rights by the Iranian authorities. “The streets of Tehran and cities around the world resound with the sounds of the footsteps of Iranian women and men demanding freedom. Freedom of speech, assembly, travel and, above all, freedom of life. Europe fully supports them,” assured the head of the European Commission.
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See also: Iran is gripped by a wave of protests. Demonstrators against the regime in the streets
Protests in Iran
Anti-government demonstrations have been taking place across Iran for several days. The protests began with a strike related to the sharp decline in the value of the national currency and the difficult economic situation, but quickly became political. There were slogans against the government and the power of the ayatollahs. Within a dozen or so days, the demonstrations covered – according to the opposition website Iran International – more than 200 cities.
After two days of escalating protests, the army of the Islamic republic issued a statement in which it pledged to protect the country's “strategic” infrastructure and announced the fight against “hostile plots.” According to the Financial Times, the country's authorities accuse foreign forces, including Israel and the United States, of causing the riots.
According to non-governmental organizations, the police are using guns and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. The AP agency, citing local activists, reported on Friday that at least 62 people died in the protests and over 2,270 were detained.
