Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper), In the closing days leading up to the election, Belgian democratic institutions undertook notable actions regarding the Iranian regime. Over the course of the past five years, Belgium has witnessed several instances of heightened tension with Iran. For instance, the trial of the Iranian terrorist diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to bomb an Iranian opposition rally in France in 2018, and the controversial deal to swap him with a Belgian aid worker, as well as the presence of Tehran’s infamous mayor in Brussels, which led to the resignation of the foreign affairs minister. Additionally, the massive uprising in Iran and the international support for Iranian women in the past legislative period have further encouraged the Belgian politicians to further distance themselves from the policy of appeasement towards the ruling mullahs.
Hence, as their work came to a close, Belgian representatives in the Senate and parliaments did not remain silent. Belgium became the first European country to officially adopt a resolution in the Senate calling for the designation of the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Furthermore, on May 15, more than 100 cross-party members of parliament in Belgium issued a joint declaration in support of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the democratic opposition to the clerical regime in Iran, and demanding the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. This declaration highlights the Belgian representatives’ willingness to stand with the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people, even during the election period.
The declaration emphasizes the Iranian regime’s use of executions as a tactic of terror to suppress dissent. With over 860 executions in 2023 and more than 240 in 2024, Iran has become the world’s leading executioner of women and juvenile offenders.
The Belgian representatives demonstrate their deep understanding of the current political situation in Iran by highlighting the political atmosphere in the country. They refer to the unprecedented boycott of the recent sham elections in Iran, with less than 10 percent participation, which reaffirmed the absolute rejection of the regime. The parliamentarians declare their support for the Iranian people’s right to rise up against tyranny and repression, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Furthermore, in response to the recent conspiracy by the Iranian dictatorship against the NCRI and its main component the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which involved conducting sham trials for 104 members of the MEK in absentia, seen as a preparation for terrorist activities against the MEK, the Belgian representatives strongly advocate for the comprehensive protection of Iranian dissidents who have sought refuge in Europe, and particularly in Albania.
They also call for the full protection of Iranian dissidents who are political refugees in Europe and recognize the rights of the Iranian people and their vanguards, the Resistance Units, to resist the regime’s suppressive forces.
The parliamentarians reiterate the call made by the European Parliament, the Belgian Senate, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, and Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib to place the IRGC on the EU terrorist list. This call has been declared in three resolutions by the European Parliament and the Belgian Senate.
As they step into their election campaigns, Belgian lawmakers look forward to a bright future in Iran, embracing the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people for a democratic and secular republic. They support Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan, the President-elect of the NCRI, which advocates for a free Iran, gender equality, the rights of minorities, a non-nuclear Iran, and the abolition of the death penalty.
This strong and unified message from all democratic parties in Belgium and the Senate has inspired courage among other European countries to stand up for the values of freedom and democracy. Belgium can lead Europe and pave the way towards this future.
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