Meeting Sweden’s Foreign Ministry regarding recent protests in Iran
On Wednesday, November 27, Mehrdad Darvishpour and Amir Nilou from the "Solidarity Committee for the Iranian people" met with Daniel Patterson from the Middle East and North Africa Division of the Swedish Foreign Ministry.
At the meeting, the delegation explained the letter sent to the Swedish Foreign Minister and the resolution of hundreds of Iranians demonstrating November 23 in Stockholm in support of the Iranian people's struggle. They expressed concern about the unprecedented violence and the killing of several hundred people (which Amnesty International has so far confirmed more than 150 dead) and the arrests of thousands.
The delegation criticized the media's and the Swedish government's and the European Union's subtle response to the violence and the hostage-taking of the Iranian nation by shutting down the Internet in Iran.
They also called the government's threat to execute the detainees a serious threat and called for increased pressure by Sweden and the European Union to end the Islamic Republic's violence against the people and to release the detainees.
They also warned of the active role of the Islamic Republic's lobbyists in dampening the November uprising, adding that the transfer of misleading information to Sweden and the European Union could lead to a passive response by these countries against the role of the Islamic Republic.
The delegation also expressed their opposition to any military attack against Iran as well as the widespread US sanctions the could hurt the people and criticized the unsuccessful policy of "critical dialogue" between the Swedish government and the EU and unilateral support for reformists emphasizing the need to support Iranian civil society and the people's struggle against religious despotism and to secure their human rights.
They emphasized that Sweden and the European Union should rigorously oppose the suppression of demonstrations and protests by calling upon their ambassadors to Iran, or at least summoning the ambassadors of the Islamic Republic to European countries.
They emphasized that a passive policy against the bloody suppression of public demonstrations would spread mistrust between Sweden and the European Union and the Iranian People.
In addition, the delegation emphasized the need for the United Nations Human Rights Council to respond and the role that Sweden and the European Union could play.
In response to this dialogue, Daniel Patterson, Iran’s desk at the Swedish Foreign Ministry referred to Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Linde's public opposition to the recent crackdown by the Iranian government, explaining the uncertainty surrounding the news of the protests was the reason for lackluster response by the Swedish government and the European Union. He emphasized, however, that Sweden was more responsive than other European countries. Adding that a joint response by the EU decision body would be more effective.
In response to requests from the delegation, the head of the Iranian department at the Foreign Ministry explained that they would respond to the letter after consultation with Senior Ministry officials.
Solidarity committee for the Iranian people
November 27, 2019
