On 20 May 2026, The Left group in the European Parliament tabled three amendments to a joint motion for a resolution on repression and execution of protesters, dissidents, political prisoners and religious minorities in Iran. The amendments seek to reframe the resolution's geopolitical narrative by introducing criticism of US and Israeli actions, a move that sets the group apart from the other political groups co-authoring the original text.
The amendments, submitted by MEPs Rima Hassan, Arash Saeidi, and Danilo Della Valle, target the joint motion co-authored by the PPE, S&D, ECR, Renew, and Verts/ALE groups. The original motion is expected to focus on condemning the Iranian regime's internal human rights abuses. The Left's amendments introduce three key changes: a clause opposing the 'instrumentalisation' of Iranian protests by the US and Israel, a call for reciprocal accountability under international law that explicitly condemns indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Iran including Israeli and US strikes, and a defence of Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The most politically charged amendment (Amendment 10) inserts language opposing the instrumentalisation of protests by external actors, directly challenging the original resolution's framing of the protest movement as purely internal. Amendment 8 broadens the scope of condemnation to include external military actions by the US and Israel, while Amendment 9 reinforces an anti-interventionist stance by defending Iran's territorial integrity.
The other political groups are expected to oppose these amendments. The centre-right PPE and ECR are likely to reject any criticism of the US or Israel, while the centre-left S&D and liberal Renew may find the language on foreign interference too broad. The Greens (Verts/ALE) might sympathise with the call for international law but would likely oppose the specific naming of US and Israeli leaders.
The amendments will be put to a vote during the plenary session, with the outcome determining whether the final resolution adopts a more balanced geopolitical tone or remains focused solely on the Iranian regime's abuses.
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