European leaders summon Iran ambassadors over repression of protests
France's Foreign Minister said this Tuesday that he had summoned the Iranian ambassador to object to what he described as "state violence unquestioningly unleashed on peaceful protesters" in Iran. Similar calls have been raised by a series of European governments, as the death toll grows in Iran and the USA threatens to intervene.
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Melissa Chemam
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Since the mass protests have erupted across Iran, demanding an end to the clerical system in power since 1979, a severe and brutal crackdown from authorities has followed, activists saying at least 648 people have been killed, with fugures remaining unclear due to an internet blackout.
France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday afternoon that he had summoned the Iranian ambassador in Paris to object to what he described as "state violence unquestioningly unleashed on peaceful protesters" in Iran.
"I conveyed this condemnation to the Iranian Foreign Minister," Barrot said. "And it will be reiterated to the Iranian Ambassador to France, whom I summoned today to the Quai d'Orsay," he added before members of parliament during the question period in the National Assembly."
"But we will not stop there. There can be no impunity for those who turn their guns against peaceful protesters," Barrot continued.
The previous day, President Emmanuel Macron had made similar statements.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated almost at the same time on Tuesday that the European Union would "quickly" propose new sanctions against those responsible for the repression of protests in Iran.
UK, EU summoning
The UK government also summoned on Tuesday the Iranian ambassador in London "to answer for the horrific reports" emerging from Iran amid a deadly crackdown on protests, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
"The minister for the Middle East, at my instruction, has summoned the Iranian ambassador to underline the gravity of this moment and to call Iran to answer for the horrific reports that we are hearing," she told MPs in a statement to parliament.
Cooper added she was "fearful that the reports that we have seen may underestimate the full scale of the horror as further evidence and testimony reaches the outside world".
Finland and Denmark summoned Iran's representatives to their countries as well on Tuesday, because of Tehran's nationwide shutdown of the internet and violent crackdown on protests.
"Iran's regime has shut down the internet to be able to kill and oppress in silence," Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen wrote on social media X.
"This will not be tolerated. We stand with the people of Iran - women and men alike", she said, adding that she would "summon the Iranian ambassador this morning".
Valtonen said the Nordic country was also "exploring measures to help restore freedom to the Iranian people" together with the EU.
Later on Tuesday, Denmark's foreign ministry announced that it had summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, as the ambassador was currently away, "to express the government's condemnation of the Iranian regime's use of violence against demonstrators".
The ministry said in a statement that it has also urged "Iran to comply with its international obligations, including the right to freedom of expression, association and assembly."
"This also applies to ensuring free and unhindered access to the internet," it said.
Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said Monday that the violent crackdown on a wave of protests in Iran has killed at least 648 people.
But it warned the death toll was likely much higher -- "according to some estimates more than 6,000".
US threats
A nationwide shutdown of the internet by authorities in Iran, which activists fear is aimed at masking the scale of a crackdown, has now lasted over 108 hours, a monitor said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said also on Tuesday that Iranians should continue nationwide protests, take over institutions and record names of "killers and abusers," as authorities there cracked down on mass demonstrations.
"Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY."
(with AFP)
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