Particularly, MEPs drew attention to the infringement of women’s rights inside the mullah regime;
Daniela Aiuto, MEP from Italy, stated that she was heartened to see the leading role played by
women inside the Iranian Resistance movement – a stark contrast to the absence of women from
positions of political leadership in Iran. With less than one week until International Women’s Day,
Ms. Aiuto expressed support for Iranian women resistors struggling against government oppression.
Similarly, Julie Ward, MEP for the British Labour Party, and member of the EU Committee on
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, said that Iranian women were at the forefront of social
movements advocating for democracy and equality in their country. Ms. Ward spoke specifically on
the plight of Iranian bloggers and cartoonists, mentioning Narges Mohammadi, a veteran human
rights activist and defender of freedom of expression, who was arrested in May 2015 on as yet
unknown charges.
Despite her criticisms of the nuclear accord, Ms. Rajavi did express her hopes that this parliamentary
meeting would send a clear message to the Rouhani regime that their human rights abuses have not
gone unchecked by European powers. She stated that the Iranian leadership is ultimately in a
vulnerable position given that any change in the current regime would “lead to its general weakness
and entirely paralyze it.” This fragility was demonstrated clearly in the “so-called elections” that took
place last Friday where no opposition groups were allowed to stand.
