The Iranian people's anger against the regime continues across the world.

Thousands of Iranians living in Europe, including families of victims of repression in Iran, activists, lawyers, demanded, on Saturday February 11, the terrorist designation of the Revolutionary Guards by the European Union, during a a rally in Paris.

On February 11, marking the anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah's dictatorship by the Iranian people in 1979, the demonstrators, gathered at Place Vauban in the chic center of Paris, chanted "Woman. Life. Freedom", the emblematic slogan of the protest in Iran, and sang "Bella Ciao", one of the movement's anthems.

"European ministers must finally hear the voice of Iranians," said Swedish MP Alireza Akhondi.

"We want the Guardians to be labeled a terrorist group, that's the crucial point," he added, saying he was "disappointed" by the European attitude.

EU very cautious

The EU has passed several sets of sanctions against more than 60 Iranian officials and entities accused of involvement in the crackdown, but is being very cautious about blacklisting the Guardians.

Several countries have nationals detained in Iran, such as France, which accuses Tehran of practicing a "state hostage" policy.

One of these detainees, the Franco-Iranian researcher Fariba Adelkhah, arrested in June 2019 and sentenced to 5 years in prison, was released on Friday.

Adding the Revolutionary Guards to the list of terrorist groups could also put an end to attempts to revive the 2015 agreement on Tehran's nuclear program coordinated by the EU, warn many European officials.

Protesters, including French environmentalist MEP Yannick Jadot, also called on European countries to cut economic relations with Iran.

"Your economic interests are spilling the blood of our innocent young people," read placards.

> See also: Iran: "This revolution will continue", assures Erfan Mortezai, cousin of Mahsa Amini

Among the demonstrators was Niaz Zam, the daughter of Ruhollah Zam, an opponent who took refuge in France and was executed in Iran in 2020 after being trapped and kidnapped in Iraq.

"Ruhollah Zam was the definition of freedom," she told the crowd in her first public speech since her father's execution.

"We are not afraid," she said.

The Paris rally coincided with the 44th anniversary of the February 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.

The Iranian power affirmed on this occasion to have overcome the dispute which began in September after the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurd arrested by the morality police.

With AFP

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