By Jubin Katiraie
Thousands of Iranians took to the streets in Paris on 8 February 2018. They marched through the streets chanting messages against the Iranian regime.
Most importantly, they made calls to the international community to stop appeasing the regime and to hold Tehran accountable for its many crimes and abuses of power.
The EU was heavily criticised by protesters and speakers at the rally with some saying that although they do not agree with U.S. President Donald Trump on many issues, he is certainly dealing with the Iran threat in the right way.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama did not deal with the Iran threat at all – in fact, the steps he took made the threat even more dangerous. He turned a blind eye to Iran’s many acts of belligerence and the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement was so weak and full of loopholes that the Iranian regime became even bolder in its belligerence.
Former Member of European Parliament Dr Alejo Vidal-Quadrascalled on the European Union to take a hard line with this regime that he described as terrorist. He said that the Europeans must stop appeasing the regime and support the people and their resistance. “Appeasement only encourages the mullahs to commit more crimes in Iran and more terrorism in Europe. The EU has to put the entire Iranian Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on its terrorism blacklist.”
Iranian officials have been involved in a number of terrorist plots and assassinations in Europe. Thankfully European authorities were able to foil a number of attacks which could have resulted in a high number of casualties and fatalities. Despite the severity of the threat and the security risk to the people, European officials have been very reluctant to speak out against the regime as strongly as the situation warrants.
Part of this is down to the fact that European officials are keen to nurture business relations with Iran. However, this goes completely against the very founding of the EU which is supposed to place an extremely high value on the respect of human rights.
Former French Senator Jean-Pierre Michel called on EU officials to stop taking a soft approach to the Iranian regime’s belligerence. He said: “I want to call upon our governments, European governments, Jean-Yves Le Drian and Federica Mogherini…open your eyes and ears. Retake the dignity that the status of Europe brings upon you, take back the dignity of the Europeans. Support the Iranian Resistance.”
Supported by the main opposition to the Iranian regime, these people took to the streets, just like their compatriots inside Iran, to call for human rights for all, freedom and democracy. The European’s soft approach to the negligent and terrorist regime must end and tougher policies should be employed. Decisive action must be taken and any action from now on in is better than the blind eye the situation has been accorded thus far.
