European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has voiced strong support for protesters in Iran as nationwide demonstrations continue to spread and authorities intensify their crackdown, with dozens reported killed and widespread arrests carried out over the past two weeks.
“The world is once again witnessing the brave people of Iran stand up,” Metsola said in a statement, describing the unrest as a cry “for dignity, for freedom, for the choice to live and be governed as they choose”. She said Europeans could see “what is happening on the streets and in the hearts and minds of the people of Iran”, adding that the movement reflects a generational rejection of a system “focused on self-preservation rather than rights”.
Protests first erupted in late December after demonstrations by merchants in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over soaring prices and the rapid depreciation of the Iranian rial. Since then, rallies have spread across the country, with demonstrators increasingly targeting Iran’s political and religious leadership, rather than limiting their demands to economic relief.
According to human rights groups, at least 25 to 30 people have been killed during the unrest, with hundreds more injured or detained. Security forces have used tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition in some areas, while rights organisations have raised alarm over reports of beatings, arbitrary arrests and the detention of minors.
Internet monitoring groups say Iran has imposed intermittent but severe restrictions on internet access, particularly in Tehran and other major cities, a move widely seen as an attempt to curb the spread of protest footage and disrupt coordination among demonstrators.
The protests have revived memories of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement that followed the 2022 death in custody of Jina Mahsa Amini, whose name Metsola specifically invoked, referring to a generation determined to “tear off the shackles of oppression” and reject the “forceful theocracy” governing Iranian life.
“If there is one thing history has taught Europe,” Metsola said, “it is that there is no prison, no threat and no tear gas canister that can hold back the yearning for liberty.”
The situation has also drawn reactions from across the European political spectrum.
Maltese Labour MEP Daniel Attard said the protests highlight the Iranian population’s long-standing frustration with repression and economic mismanagement.
“The continued use of force against peaceful protesters is unacceptable and only deepens the crisis,” Attard said, calling on the European Union to maintain pressure on Tehran while supporting human rights defenders and independent media. He added that Europe must remain “consistent and principled” in standing up for civil liberties, regardless of geopolitical considerations.
Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign interference and have defended their response as necessary to restore order. State media has largely downplayed the scale of the protests, while showcasing statements of loyalty to the Islamic Republic.
German Green MEP Hannah Neumann who chairs the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iran said earlier this week that eIranians have reached a “breaking point.”
“There are growing reports of live ammunition, pellet guns, mass arrests and targeted internet disruptions, cutting people off from each other and from the world. This is a regime afraid of its own people, turning fear into violence,” she said.
“At its core, it’s simple: Iranians are asking for dignity, for safety, for the right to speak without being shot. Europe has a responsibility to stand clearly with people who are asking for rights that should never require courage, and to insist on accountability when those rights are denied,” Neumann said.
