Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Blinken with a Group of Iranian Activists

Blinken: Good morning to all. We are gathered here today witnessing a special and unprecedented display of courage throughout Iran.

Women, youth, and many others have risen up for fundamental rights that the Iranian regime continues to deny them.

In many ways, this is not a new issue. This situation has persisted for years; however, following the death of Mahsa Amini and the spontaneous outpouring of resulting anger, we are witnessing an extraordinary movement throughout the country, predominantly led by women and youth.

These are fundamental rights and freedoms that the United States and other countries around the world have worked for; but most importantly, it is the people themselves who, with extraordinary courage, have risen up for rights that have been denied to them.

We are working to support those who, despite the Iranian regime’s actions to suppress their ability to hold gatherings, exercise freedom of speech, and communicate with one another, have risen up to pursue their fundamental freedoms.

We have imposed sanctions against the Morality Police, which engages in deeply abusive behavior.

We have worked, through the issuance of technology licenses, to ensure that the Iranian people can communicate with one another and with the rest of the world.

But today I was very eager to hear from colleagues who themselves have been present in various arenas and at the forefront of efforts for freedoms and fundamental rights in Iran, and to listen to what they have to say and learn from them.

One final point: I know that the Iranian regime seeks to use this action and other expressions of solidarity with those who have risen up for their freedom as evidence to prove that these protests originate from outside Iran and are the work of others.

If they truly believe that, then they fundamentally do not understand their own people; because the issue is Iran’s struggle and the striving of the Iranian people for fundamental freedoms that have long been denied to them. That is the issue, and the sooner the regime can understand this and act accordingly, the better it will be for everyone.