A majority of members of the Maltese Parliament have issued a bold statement voicing grave concern over Iran’s worsening human rights situation and calling for international recognition of the Iranian people’s right to pursue democratic regime change. The declaration, endorsed by numerous MPs, outlines the regime’s increasing repression and aligns itself with the growing democratic opposition inside Iran.
According to the statement, the Iranian regime has carried out over 1,000 executions in 2024 alone. It strongly condemns the so-called “Hijab and Chastity Law,” describing it not just as a tool for enforcing mandatory hijab, but as a broader mechanism of state control. This draconian law, the lawmakers assert, is fundamentally at odds with the democratic opposition’s core message: “No to compulsory hijab, no to compulsory religion, and no to compulsory rule,” as well as their prominent “No to Executions” campaign.
Highlighting the regime’s increasingly brutal tactics, the statement reveals that nine political prisoners have been sentenced to death in an effort to stifle dissent. However, it stresses that such repression has failed to stop the momentum of popular protests and the actions of Resistance Units inside the country.
Crumbling Influence and Call for International Action
The Maltese MPs emphasize that the Iranian regime has long relied on regional proxy groups and external influence to sustain itself. Yet, the waning power of Hezbollah and the rapid downfall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad are cited as key signs of the regime’s declining regional grip. These developments, the signatories argue, expose the vulnerability of autocratic regimes like Iran’s and discredit claims of their permanence.
They warn that international appeasement or investment in such regimes not only betrays democratic values but is also a strategic miscalculation with serious political and economic consequences. With all internal channels for political participation in Iran blocked, the declaration underscores the legitimacy of the Iranian people’s demand for regime change. It also calls for the international community to officially label the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and recognize the right of Resistance Units to confront it.
Backing the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom, the lawmakers say, is not just the correct policy — it is a moral obligation.
Championing a Democratic Future
The statement references the 2022 nationwide uprising in Iran, during which citizens decisively rejected both monarchy and theocracy in favor of a democratic republic — a message reinforced by the widespread boycott of the regime’s presidential election.
The Iranian opposition’s democratic vision, particularly the Ten-Point Plan championed by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, is highlighted as a viable roadmap for transitioning from dictatorship to democracy. This plan calls for national unity, gender equality, and the separation of religion from the state.
In June 2024, more than 4,000 lawmakers from around the world and over 100 former heads of state and government endorsed the Ten-Point Plan. The Maltese parliamentarians now join this growing chorus, urging governments worldwide to support the Iranian people’s demand for a democratic republic and lasting regional peace.