By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Amidst escalating international condemnation of Iran’s crackdown on recent demonstrations, the European Parliament has taken action. President Roberta Metsola announced a ban on all Iranian diplomats, government officials, and representatives from entering Parliament premises. This decision follows Metsola’s expression of support for the protesters and consideration of further EU sanctions. The EU is also exploring measures like designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, with the situation in Iran continuing to deteriorate as protests persist.
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Iranian diplomats banned from European Parliament is a significant step, and frankly, a long overdue one. Considering the horrific reports emerging from Iran – the massacres, the violence against protesters, the sheer disregard for human life – it’s difficult to understand why these diplomats were allowed in the first place. The fact that they are now being barred is, at least, a symbolic acknowledgement of the gravity of the situation. It’s a statement that European institutions, at least, will not be seen shaking hands and posing for photos with a regime whose hands are stained with the blood of its own citizens.
The brutality inflicted upon Iranians in the last few years, escalating sharply, is unlike anything we have seen from the Islamic Republic before. This is not just repression; it’s a systematic campaign of terror, designed to crush dissent and maintain power at any cost. This is not Machiavellian pragmatism. This is pure depravity. To continue engaging in normal diplomatic relations with such a regime is a moral failing. The very presence of these diplomats in the halls of power normalized the actions of this government.
It is easy to wish that more could be done. While the ban is a positive move, it is only a starting point. There’s a deep-seated frustration that Europe, and indeed the West, often seem hesitant to take more decisive action. Many feel that we are too weak-willed when it comes to confronting the Iranian regime, that we prefer to wring our hands and issue condemnations rather than take concrete steps to support the Iranian people.
Some have argued that sanctions, while intended to pressure the regime, actually hurt the ordinary people of Iran more. While sanctions can create hardship, they are sometimes the only alternative to outright war or simply doing nothing. The primary responsibility for the suffering of the Iranian people lies firmly with the regime itself. The decisions made by the Iranian government, from funding terrorist groups to building missiles while their citizens face water and economic crises, are what’s truly hurting the people. Removing these sanctions is as simple as not supporting terroristic behavior.
The fact is, the Iranian government is behaving like an abuser in an extremely abusive relationship with its own people. It’s a sad reality that the regime consistently harms its people and then blames others for their own actions. I also do not think it is a coincidence that this uprising happens during this time frame, with a massive media support from the usual sources.
However, the international community has the right, and perhaps the obligation, to hold the Iranian government accountable. It’s not about regime change in itself, it’s about not being complicit in this regime’s violence. I believe that governments are not owners of people, like dogs. This means supporting the Iranian people and applying pressure on the regime to change its behavior.
It’s a complex situation with no easy answers. Some propose military intervention, while others focus on diplomatic and economic pressures. It is hard to know what the best solution is, but what seems clear is that the current status quo is unacceptable.