On 20 May 2026, the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group in the European Parliament tabled a series of 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 broaden and sharpen the Parliament's condemnation by explicitly naming the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij militia as central to repression, adding new paragraphs on compulsory veiling and religious persecution, and expanding the scope of EU action to include influence operations and future governance conditions.
The amendments target the joint resolution co-drafted by the PPE, S&D, ECR, Renew, and Verts/ALE groups. The PfE group's proposals introduce several key changes. Amendment 1 adds a recital directly stating that the IRGC, the Basij militia, and the judiciary play a central role in repression, torture, and intimidation. Amendment 3 broadens the demand for release to include "prisoners of conscience, detained nationals of EU Member States and individuals detained for exercising their fundamental rights." Amendments 4 and 5 introduce new operative paragraphs condemning compulsory veiling and discriminatory legislation targeting women's freedoms, as well as persecution of religious and ethnic minorities. Amendment 6 expands the call to close Iranian diplomatic missions linked to "influence operations in Europe" in addition to transnational repression. Amendment 7 adds a forward-looking element demanding that human rights conditions be core elements of any future governance of Iran.
The amendments implicitly diverge from the original text, which likely avoided naming the IRGC directly and did not include standalone paragraphs on women and minorities. The PfE group pushes for a more comprehensive indictment of structural repression and introduces long-term political conditionality. The joint resolution is scheduled for debate and vote in plenary, with the amendments to be considered alongside the original text. The outcome will reflect the Parliament's stance on Iran's human rights record and its demands for EU action, including potential sanctions and diplomatic measures.
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