Global heavyweights in the G7 have turned up the heat on Iran, voicing sharp concerns over the regime’s lethal handling of public unrest. From Ottawa, the ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and US, joined by EU leaders, released a blistering joint declaration.
Protests raging since December’s end—driven by economic despair and a nosediving rial—have met with ferocious resistance from authorities. Casualty figures run into thousands, marred by indiscriminate arrests and fear-mongering by enforcers.
The statement pulled no punches: ‘We condemn in the strongest terms the brutal suppression inflicted on Iranians bravely voicing demands for better lives, dignity, and freedoms.’ It spotlighted direct assaults, capricious imprisonments, and coercive strategies.
Tehran was implored to show restraint, avoid bloodshed, and honor core rights like expression, information flow, peaceful gatherings, and organizational freedoms.
With pledges from G7 members to enact more penalties if abuses continue, the message is unequivocal. Iran’s defiance of human rights norms could invite swift, collective retribution.
This intervention highlights the protests’ momentum and the regime’s vulnerability. As international scrutiny intensifies, the path forward for Iran hangs in precarious balance.