The President of the European Parliament, on Thursday 27 October, condemned Iran’s decision the day before to sanction MEPs and the Friends of a Free Iran group in the European Parliament (see EUROPE 13051/24).
“We stand with the ‘Friends of Iran’ group and all those sanctioned”, she said in a statement. Roberta Metsola recalled that Parliament would not stop fighting for women’s rights. “We will not stop defending freedom, dignity and equality. We will not be silenced”, she warned.
MEP Charlie Weimers (ECR, Swedish) wondered why the country had taken so long to sanction him. “I have fought the regime and supported the people for 20 years”, he said. He warned that he would push for additional EU sanctions against “this murderous regime”, for the inclusion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the list of terrorist organisations, and for an end to negotiations on the nuclear deal.
Helmut Geuking (EPP, German), also sanctioned, said he was “honoured” to be on the sanctions list, adding that he would continue to fight for a “free, democratic and independent Iran”.
European External Action Service spokesman Peter Stano said the Iranian sanctions were “politically motivated”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)