Mitteilungen

Brussels, 20 March 2026

The execution of Swedish national Kourosh Keyvani and the drastic increase in executions across Iran are brutal and deliberate acts, which I, as Chair of the Delegation for relations with Iran (D-IR), condemn in the strongest possible terms.

This is a persistent and deeply troubling pattern whereby the Iranian authorities instrumentalise the death penalty as a tool of repression, coercion, and political signalling. The case of Kourosh Keyvani, marked by a lack of transparency and the denial of fundamental fair trial guarantees, once again exposes the regime's systematic disregard for its international human rights obligations.

The recent surge in executions across Iran further underlines this trend. Reports of multiple executions in recent days, including in connection with the January unrest, point to a deliberate strategy of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent and instilling fear. The use of capital punishment in cases involving foreign and dual nationals is particularly alarming and raises again serious concerns about the instrumentalisation of detainees for political leverage.

On behalf of the Delegation for relations with Iran, I express full solidarity with Sweden and extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Kourosh Keyvani as well as to the families and loved ones of all others suffering from the brutal repression of the Islamic regime.

We reiterate our call on the Iranian authorities to immediately halt all executions and to move towards the abolition of the death penalty. Even this regime must uphold its international commitments and put an end to practices that so gravely violate human dignity.

Brussels, 10 January 2026.

The Delegation is deeply concerned by the renewed internet shutdowns amid ongoing protests across the country. Internet blackouts are not technical measures. They are a deliberate tool used to conceal violence, silence protesters and enable further repression.

When access to information is cut, the risk of serious human rights violations increases. Families are left without any knowledge of the fate of their loved ones, while demonstrators are exposed to unchecked violence by security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Delegation recalls that freedom of expression, access to information and the right to peaceful assembly are fundamental rights under international law. Systematic internet shutdowns constitute a grave violation of these rights.

We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately restore full internet access, end violence against protesters and release all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights.

The European Union must remain vigilant and act decisively. This includes holding perpetrators accountable, strengthening targeted sanctions, listing the IRGC, halting deportations to Iran and ensuring protection for those who stand up for freedom and human dignity.

Brussels, 10 January 2026

The Delegation is deeply concerned by the renewed internet shutdowns amid ongoing protests across the country. Internet blackouts are not technical measures. They are a deliberate tool used to conceal violence, silence protesters and enable further repression.

When access to information is cut, the risk of serious human rights violations increases. Families are left without any knowledge of the fate of their loved ones, while demonstrators are exposed to unchecked violence by security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Delegation recalls that freedom of expression, access to information and the right to peaceful assembly are fundamental rights under international law. Systematic internet shutdowns constitute a grave violation of these rights.

We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately restore full internet access, end violence against protesters and release all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights.

The European Union must remain vigilant and act decisively. This includes holding perpetrators accountable, strengthening targeted sanctions, listing the IRGC, halting deportations to Iran and ensuring protection for those who stand up for freedom and human dignity.

Brussels, 6 January 2026

We are deeply alarmed by the escalating violence perpetrated against protesters across Iran, including credible reports of the use of live ammunition and widespread arbitrary arrests. The Iranian authorities must cease all further violence, restore and safeguard unrestricted internet access, and immediately release all those unlawfully detained.

The European Union must continue to stand unequivocally with the Iranian people in their legitimate demands for the rights to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly, and must pursue accountability for all serious violations of human rights.

Brussels, 17 December 2025

The violent arrests of human rights defenders and journalists during the funeral of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi in Mashhad represent an alarming escalation of repression in Iran.

Those detained were not protesting. They were mourning. Among those arrested are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, women's rights defender and photojournalist Alieh Motalebzadeh, human rights defenders and journalists Sepideh Gholian, Hasti Amiri and Pouran Nazemi, alongside other participants of the memorial service.

When a state arrests people for attending a funeral, it is not enforcing the law, it is criminalising humanity itself. Khosrow Alikordi was a lawyer who defended protesters and dissidents. Honouring his life and work should never be treated as a crime. Turning a memorial into a police operation sends a clear message: the Iranian authorities are determined to silence not only dissent, but also memory, solidarity and grief. The re-arrest of Narges Mohammadi, despite her fragile health and after years of imprisonment for peaceful human rights advocacy, is particularly alarming. It demonstrates a systematic attempt to intimidate those who speak for dignity, justice and accountability.

As Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Iran, I call for the immediate and unconditional release of Narges Mohammadi, Alieh Motalebzadeh, Sepideh Gholian, Hasti Amiri, Pouran Nazemi and all others detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

The European Parliament stands firmly with the people of Iran, not with those who imprison lawyers, target women human rights defenders and turn funerals into scenes of intimidation. Repression will not silence the truth, and no machinery of fear will extinguish the Iranian people's rightful demand for freedom and justice.

Brussels, 12/06/2025

"Iran's non-compliance with nuclear safeguards, as highlighted in today's IAEA resolution, is extremely concerning. The country stands alone among non-nuclear states in its production and accumulation of weapons-grade uranium.

Iran's evasive actions, including extensive decontamination and misleading explanations, indicate a concerted effort to conceal information from the Agency. It persists in refusing to cooperate with the IAEA on many issues, making it impossible for the Agency to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear programme. Repeated assertions by former top Iranian officials about their nuclear weapons programme only add to existing concerns.

Tehran's trickery must stop now. We unequivocally call on Iran to reinstate the Additional Protocol to its Safeguards Agreement, thus enabling the IAEA to verify the absence of undeclared nuclear materials at once."

Brussels, 27/05/2025

As Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with the People of Iran, I express my deep concern regarding reports of the imminent execution of Pedram Madani, who has been sentenced to death on charges of espionage for Israel and was recently transferred to Ghezelhesar Prison in Karaj.

According to the NGO Iran Human Rights, Mr Madani was convicted in proceedings that raise serious concerns about due process and judicial independence. His death sentence has reportedly been overturned three times by the Supreme Court, only to be reissued by courts of equal standing. This repeated disregard for the highest judicial authority in the country undermines the basic principles of a fair and transparent trial.

I strongly condemn this practice. The use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and incompatible with the right to life and with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment, is a violation of the obligations Iran has committed to under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

This case is part of a wider and deeply alarming trend. According to credible reports, at least 113 executions have taken place in Iran in the first 25 days of 2025 alone. This intensification in the use of capital punishment is a clear indication of the ongoing use of state violence to suppress dissent and instil fear.

As Chair of the Delegation, I reaffirm:

• Our firm opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances
• Our call for the immediate halt of Pedram Madani's planned execution
• Our appeal to the Iranian authorities to uphold the right to a fair trial, transparency, and legal representation in all judicial proceedings

Brussels, 29/09/2025

The reimposition of full UN sanctions is a direct response to Tehran's deliberate and repeated violations of its international obligations. These measures must be directed at the regime and its leadership, not at the Iranian people.

In recent years, Tehran has systematically undermined core JCPOA constraints: it curtailed IAEA access by expelling senior inspectors, hollowed out transparency by restricting monitoring, and expanded enrichment well beyond agreed thresholds. At the same time, the regime has repeatedly closed the door to meaningful negotiations. The outcome is a dangerous combination of economic decline under the weight of sanctions and chronic mismanagement, heightened nuclear risk, and growing regional insecurity.

Europe now carries a particular responsibility. Sanctions cannot remain declarations on paper: they require strict implementation, coordinated monitoring, and the closure of channels that enable circumvention. We must shut down shadow fleets, dismantle front companies, and block alternative payment routes that allow Tehran to bypass restrictions. At the same time, the EU must pursue diplomatic efforts and remain engaged to find a negotiated solution, showing that responsibility for this crisis lies with the regime and its leadership alone.

The European Union stands unwaveringly with the people of Iran. They are entitled to freedom and dignity, and to live without fear or repression. They deserve the promise of a future built on security, opportunity, and a rightful place in the international community.

Amidst heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing crises in the region, the constitutive meeting of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iran (D-IR) took place on 3 October 2024. MEPs elected Hannah Neumann (Greens/EFA, Germany) as Chair of the Delegation. She will be supported by Bart Groothuis (Renew, Netherlands) as First Vice-Chair and Daniel Attard (S&D, Malta) as Second Vice-Chair.

Hannah Neumann, on the execution of Mehran Bahramian, a "Woman, Life, Freedom" protester.

Brussels, 12/09/2025

"I strongly condemn the execution of Mehran Bahramian, who was sentenced to death in connection with the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran and executed on 6 September. His case is the twelfth known execution linked to those protests and, once again, illustrates the ruthless use of the death penalty by the Iranian authorities as a means of political repression.

The death penalty is a cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment that has no place in the 21st century. Executions following trials that lack transparency and due process make the risk of miscarriages of justice irreversible.

As Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Iran, I call on the Iranian authorities to halt all executions immediately, release those detained for exercising their basic rights, and to comply fully with their obligations under international human rights law. The European Parliament stands in solidarity with the people of Iran who continue to demand justice, dignity and freedom in the face of relentless repression."