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Germany's Central Bank confronts Nazi past and pledges 'never again'

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Commission declares Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared for EU accession talks

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Munich Security Conference: Netherlands and US reaffirm support for Ukraine

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Dutch NATO contribution could double without U.S., says Defense Minister

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Germany's Central Bank confronts Nazi past and pledges 'never again'

Germany's Central Bank confronts Nazi past and pledges 'never again' Germany's Central Bank confronts Nazi past and pledges 'never again'
Germany's Bundesbank has taken a significant step in addressing the Nazi legacy of its predecessor, unveiling new research that delves into...
Read More...

Belgium secures eleventh victory in World Student Diplomacy Championship

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  On March 14, 2024, Belgium clinched victory in the World Student Diplomacy Championship, a prestigious competition simulating the workings...
Read More...

Commission declares Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared for EU accession talks

Commission declares Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared for EU accession talks Commission declares Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared for EU accession talks

On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged EU member states to approve the start of accession negotiations with...
Read More...

Romanian President and Austrian Chancellor confer on Schengen during Bucharest meeting

Romanian President and Austrian Chancellor confer on Schengen during Bucharest meeting Romanian President and Austrian Chancellor confer on Schengen during Bucharest meeting
In the backdrop of the European People's Party (EPP) congress, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis engaged in discussions with Austrian Chancellor...
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NATO unveils 'Nordic Response' with massive military exercises

 NATO unveils 'Nordic Response' with massive military exercises NATO unveils 'Nordic Response' with massive military exercises
In a display of strength and solidarity, NATO has launched its largest military exercises since 1952, marking the first participation of new...
Read More...

Far-right Vlaams Belang surges in Belgian polls

Far-right Vlaams Belang surges in Belgian polls Far-right Vlaams Belang surges in Belgian polls
With Belgian elections looming in June, the far-right party Vlaams Belang is witnessing a historic surge, polling just under 28 percent in...
Read More...

Sweden officially joins NATO as Hungary grants approval

Sweden officially joins NATO as Hungary grants approval Sweden officially joins NATO as Hungary grants approval
In a significant geopolitical development, Sweden has gained approval to become the 32nd member of the NATO military alliance, marking a blow...
Read More...

Munich Security Conference: Netherlands and US reaffirm support for Ukraine

Munich Security Conference: Netherlands and US reaffirm support for Ukraine Munich Security Conference: Netherlands and US reaffirm support for Ukraine
  During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte...
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Dutch NATO contribution could double without U.S., says Defense Minister

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Outgoing Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren warned that the Netherlands might need to double its defense spending if the United States were to...
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Over the past few weeks, Iranian activists and opponents of the ruling theocracy have been holding demonstrations in various European capitals, including Paris and Brussels.

The protests are aimed at amplifying the message of a nationwide uprising that began in Iran in September and continues to this day, despite heavy crackdowns that have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of protesters and the imprisonment of thousands more.

The activists are calling for a democratic alternative and urging European policymakers to abandon their long-held tendency toward appeasement of the Iranian regime and to adopt a much more robust policy. Specifically, they are calling on the EU to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, a measure that has been recommended on numerous occasions by Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi.

By contrast, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah of Iran, has openly tried to reach out to some factions within the IRGC, which is widely recognized as being primarily responsible for the crackdowns on protesters. Pahlavi, whose father was deposed in the 1979 revolution, has been trying to make himself visible in discussions about recent and ongoing protests against the country’s theocratic dictatorship. At the recent Munich Security Conference, he was one of three so-called opposition activists to appear in lieu of official representatives of the Iranian regime, whose invitations were withheld as a consequence of its crackdowns on dissent and its support of Russia in its unprovoked war upon Ukraine.

However, Pahlavi's outreach to some factions within the IRGC has met with considerable backlash from various Iranian expatriates, particularly those who are current members of pro-democracy activist groups. Many such activists have taken part in large-scale rallies across Europe in recent weeks, including one in Paris that was scheduled to mark the February 11 anniversary of the Pahlavi dynasty’s overthrow. The Iranian expatriate community generally maintains a favorable outlook on this aspect of the 1979 revolution while also condemning the theocratic dictatorship that took the monarchy’s place.

The sentiment of the Iranian expatriate community was well-reflected in the Paris rally, and it has been equally well-reflected in the slogans of the uprising taking place inside the Islamic Republic. Among them are “death to the dictator” and “death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader.” These slogans also underscore the fact that the uprising has transcended its initial focus on the death in custody of Mahsa Amini last September. The 22-year-old Kurdish woman was arrested and fatally beaten by “morality police” for wearing her mandatory head covering too loosely. But this spark quickly gave rise to a movement that has been widely described as perhaps the greatest challenge to the theocratic system since the time of the 1979 revolution.

Former Member of the European Parliament Struan Stevenson, who is also the Coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change, concluded in his recent book “Dictatorship and Revolution: Iran – A Contemporary History” that both the monarchy and the theocratic dictatorship “deny universal human rights, consider the people to be immature and in need of guardians, and derive their legitimacy from sources other than the ballot box and democratic rule of law. Both have committed gross violations of human rights such as arbitrary detentions, summary trials, cruel and inhuman punishment, torture, and political executions. Both have effectively instituted one-party rule, denied pluralism, suppressed many segments of society, denied freedom of speech or association, prohibited a free press, and disenfranchised citizens.”

In conclusion, the Iranian activists and opponents of the ruling theocracy are urging European policymakers to abandon their long-held tendency toward appeasement of the Iranian regime and to adopt a much more robust policy. They are specifically calling on the EU to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Photo by Milad Avazbeigi, Wikimedia commons.

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