Protests by Anti-Government Groups Against Iran’s Foreign Minister’s Presence in Sweden
A group of Iranians residing in Sweden protested against the presence of Iran’s Foreign Minister in the country. Police arrested approximately 30 protesters. Mehrdad Darvish Pour, a sociologist and participant in the demonstrations, explained the situation to Deutsche Welle.
Demonstrations by a group of Iranians residing in Sweden in protest against Mohammad Javad Zarif’s, Iran’s Foreign Minister, visit continued on the second day of his presence, in front of Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Parliament, and the “SIPRI” institute on Wednesday, August 30 (August 21).
Swedish police arrested approximately 30 Iranian demonstrators in front of the SIPRI institute.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, delivered a speech on Wednesday, August 30 (August 21) at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, known as SIPRI.
Mehrdad Darvish Pour, a sociologist residing in Sweden, told Deutsche Welle that police later released those who were arrested.
Mr. Darvish Pour also spoke about the various groups that participated in the protests: “At the demonstrations there were leftists, Mujahedeen, supporters of monarchy, and republicans. There were two approaches in these demonstrations: one was to oppose this meeting and to say that inviting Zarif was a kind of ‘slap in the face to the Iranian people.’ While people are being suppressed and under pressure, in a way Sweden has become a crutch for them. Another group had a different perspective and approach, like us, who did not enter into a debate about whether Zarif should or should not be invited. We are opposed to war and military attacks, and as a result we said that this opportunity should be used to pressure the Islamic Republic, and we emphasized that human rights should not be sidelined in negotiations.”
Darvish Pour further emphasized: “The protest movements continued even in front of Zarif’s hotel and there was also widespread protest in the Swedish Parliament. A senior representative of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, which is the ruling party, wrote a letter saying that pressure on Iran should be increased.”
Zarif’s Meeting with Iranians Residing in Sweden
FARS News Agency reported that Iran’s Foreign Minister met on Monday evening, August 28, with a group of Iranians residing in Sweden and discussed various issues with them, including sanctions pressure, regional issues, INSTEX, and the role of Iranians outside the country.
Darvish Pour told Deutsche Welle about this meeting that “a very small group of businessmen spoke with Iran’s Foreign Minister and this has nothing to do with the 80,000-strong Iranian community in Sweden.” Darvish Pour further emphasized that the majority of the Iranian community residing in Sweden are opposed to negotiations on human rights under the pretext of sanctions and pressure on Iran.
He continued: “This was a meeting that took place inside the embassy, and Mr. Zarif had a meeting with some Iranian businessmen and they wanted them to help in expanding investment in Iran and in a way to reduce the pressures of sanctions. These are a certain and limited number of government supporters who profit enormously from investment.”
Darvish Pour, while referring to Zarif’s role, explained: “Mr. Zarif plays a role of beautifying the Islamic Republic of Iran, and their approach is such that they tried to deny human rights violations in Iran and to justify Iran’s interventionist policies in the region. The Iranian community has been outraged and has no interest in strengthening ties with Sweden or his presence in Sweden.”
According to Mehrdad Darvish Pour, the issue of protesting against the Islamic Republic has become a top news story in Swedish media, and as a result these protests have led representatives of leftist parties and the ruling Social Democratic party to increase pressure on Iran.
Source: DW
