After the death of Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Iranian regime, in a helicopter crash, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, sent messages of condolence. This prompted protests from members of the European Parliament and parliamentarians from various countries with the hashtag “Not in My Name.” They referred to Raisi as the “Butcher of Tehran” responsible for the killing and massacre of people in Iran and the region.
The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, clarified that he was not offering “political support” to the Iranian regime after ending a post confirming the provision of satellite assistance to Iranian rescuers with “#EUSolidarity.”
As neighboring countries offered assistance in locating the crash site, Lenarčič announced on X that the EU was activating its Copernicus emergency satellite mapping service to help find the downed helicopter. He concluded his tweet with the hashtag #EUSolidarity, which sparked immediate backlash.
David Alexander Lega a Member of European Parliament from Sweden wrote on his X account:
Can you look the brave women and freedom fighters of Iran in the eye ever again? Can you look Floderus’ or Djalali’s families in the eye ever again?
I can. Shame on you. #NotInMyName https://t.co/8Odf7SFefm
— David Lega (@DavidLega) May 20, 2024
Dennis RADTKE an MP from Germany wrote on X: “Have Josep Borrell, Charles Michel, and Janez Lenarčič ever seen such images? Then why do they express sympathy and solidarity with someone responsible for these actions? These three no longer have a place at the high levels of European leadership.”
Haben @JosepBorrellF ,@CharlesMichel und @JanezLenarcic solche Bilder noch nie gesehen oder warum empfinden sie Mitgefühl und Solidarität mit dem Mann,der für diese Taten verantwortlich ist? Diese 3 haben in europäischen Spitzenfunktionen nichts mehr zu suchen.#Iran #Raisi pic.twitter.com/moqsXiOSQx
— Dennis Radtke (@RadtkeMdEP) May 20, 2024
Robert Jenrick, former UK Minister of State for Immigration wrote: “The death of the butcher of Tehran will not be mourned by oppressed Iranians, nor their Western allies. The EU’s weakness on Iran is again clear for all to see. And to think Labour would rush into a foreign policy pact with the Commission.”
The death of the butcher of Tehran will not be mourned by oppressed Iranians, nor their Western allies.
The EU’s weakness on Iran is again clear for all to see.
And to think Labour would rush into a foreign policy pact with the Commission. https://t.co/WcFaqAQeWh
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) May 20, 2024
“I am shocked that [Lenarčič] posted a message on behalf of the EU proposing to activate EU solidarity to save the Iranian president,” Flemish MEP Assita Kanko said. “European solidarity? With whom. And with whose money?”
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, one of the liberals’ lead candidates for June’s European election, wrote: “It is an absolute mystery to me how the EU Commission can show #EU solidarity with Iran. What a miserable hashtag, what a mockery of the brave fighters for human rights in Iran. I expect an explanation for this.”
