By Dr. Ela Zabihi
Iranians living abroad are rallying—not just to protest, but to reclaim their narrative. Balancing academic life and activism, I’m among those raising our voices to demand recognition: the current regime’s rule of terror isn’t permanent, and Iranians yearn for a free, democratic, secular republic.
A Movement of Conscience
On September 6, thousands will march in Brussels for the Free Iran March, not merely as a protest, but as a moral warning to Europe: the time to act is now.
A Surge of State Violence
Since August 2024, under President Masoud Pezeshkian’s rule, Iran has seen over 1,600 executions, including women, minors, and political prisoners. In the past month, at least 162 people were executed, many in public—and astonishingly, only 4% were publicly announced—revealing a chilling campaign of silent terror.Eurasia Review
Sham Trials and Political Hit Lists
Members of the PMOI—like Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani—have been sentenced to death following cursory show trials. These cases spurred an urgent appeal from over 530 international figures, including Nobel laureates and former UN officials, demanding the United Nations intervene.Eurasia Review
Replaying the 1988 Horror
Iran is once again echoing the 1988 massacre of some 30,000 political prisoners, mostly PMOI activists. Today, state-run media openly calls for a repeat, while the regime bulldozes Section 41 of Behesht-e-Zahra Cemetery—erasing graves and blocking families from mourning. This desecration is yet another instrument of repression.Eurasia Review
Why the Free Iran March Matters
This demonstration isn’t just symbolic. It’s a global demand: stand with Iranians, not their oppressors. Europe holds a unique tool—the snapback mechanism of the 2015 nuclear agreement—which could reinstate UN sanctions and challenge the regime’s stranglehold.
Dr. Ela Zabihi
Dr. Ela Zabihi is a Senior Lecturer in London and also president of “Women for a Free Iran,” an advocacy group (non-profit) of professional women working in the UK who are fighting for women’s rights in Iran.