Iran Focus
The Hague, 23 Jun – Dozens of Iranian nationals took part in a rally outside parliament in The Hague on Thursday, to protest at the visit by Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif, DutchNews.nl reported.
A spokesman for the group told DutchNews.nl Iranians are very upset he is being welcomed given that “more than 120,000 political prisoners have been executed in Iran”.
“The people of Iran would like the Dutch government to base its relationship with Iran’s regime on a halt to executions and an improvement in the human rights situation”, the spokesman said.
Zarif is meeting Dutch foreign minister Bert Koenders and other senior Dutch officials during his one day visit to the Netherlands.
One of the protesters reached by phone by Iran Focus said that the participants in the rally also supported an upcoming “Free Iran” grand gathering that is expected to be held in Paris on 9 July. That gathering will also push for human rights to be brought to the fore in ties between Western governments and Tehran.