{"id":50213,"date":"2023-09-20T08:14:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T06:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/?p=50213"},"modified":"2023-09-20T08:25:18","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T06:25:18","slug":"former-belgian-pm-guy-verhofstadt-speech-to-the-conference-iran-uprising-role-of-women-and-youths-and-prospects-of-a-democratic-republic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/activities-outside-iran\/2023\/09\/former-belgian-pm-guy-verhofstadt-speech-to-the-conference-iran-uprising-role-of-women-and-youths-and-prospects-of-a-democratic-republic\/50213\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt Speech to the Conference, \u201cIran Uprising, Role of Women and Youths, and Prospects of a Democratic Republic\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Former — ^{Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt <\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDuring an international conference<\/a> convened in Brussels on September 15, commemorating the 2022 uprising in Iran, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, stood among the notable attendees who addressed the National Council of Resistance of Iran\u2019s members and supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Verhofstadt underscored the profound historical roots of the Iranian uprising, spanning four decades. He highlighted that what initially began as a protest against the oppression of women had, over time, evolved into a broader challenge to the entire ruling establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, the former Belgian Prime Minister expressed strong criticism for the European Union\u2019s official policy of engaging critically with the Iranian regime, emphasizing the need for the EU to embrace a strategy aimed at facilitating a change in the regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The full text of Mr. Guy Verhofstadt speech follows:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thank you very much. Mrs. Rajavi, thank you very much for the invitation. It\u2019s not the first time that I have been together with you, but let\u2019s say today is a very important moment, because one year after the death of Masha Amini, killed by the morality police of Iran for not wearing the headscarf properly. I think that since that date last year, we have seen something historical in Iran, something that has never happened before, all these women and men taking the streets to protest against the Mullah regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And let\u2019s first of all, ladies and gentlemen, recognize that in fact, it was not a sudden or a ruthless or a spontaneous event. It was more an explosion, an eruption of a whole population of all Iranian people because they are angry, angry against the regime, angry against the atrocities that for more than 40 years have been done by the Mullahs in Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And at the same time, it was also, I think, the result of 40 years, more than 40 years of courageous, organized resistance against the Mullah regime, a struggle in which women have taken the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And while the demonstrations initially, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, targeted the oppression of women, the focus of the demonstrations expanded very fast to demands for reform, for justice, and for fundamental political, economic, and social change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So people sang in the beginning, \u201cwomen, life, freedom,\u201d but they also sang \u201cNo to the oppressor whether it is the Shah or the Mullah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWoman, life, freedom\u2026

No to the oppressor\u2026 whether it is the Shah or the Mullah ! pic.twitter.com\/Zvt1Oj7BG1<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) September 15, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>}