Changes from resolution motion joint to adopted text

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the Baha’i community, comprising 300 000 members and lacking constitutional recognition, faces systematic persecution under the 1991 Iranian memorandum, including arbitrary arrests and imprisonment, forced disappearance, denial of dignified burial, property confiscation, denial of education and employment and incitement to hatred by state-controlled media;

B. whereas Iranian authorities have continuously intensified repression against the Baha’i community through mass detentions, expedited trials and false accusations of espionage and collaboration with foreign entities;

C. whereas in 2024, approximately 1 200 Baha’is faced legal proceedings or imprisonment, with women representing two thirds of detainees and 16 women in Hamadan and Isfahan sentenced to a combined 129 years and subjected to torture and severe violations of due process;

D. whereas authorities have desecrated Baha’i cemeteries, including in Tehran, Ahvaz, Rafsanjan, Kerman and Hamadan;

1. Strongly condemns the escalating persecution of the Baha’i community and systemic suppression of all religious and ethnic minorities and women; calls on Iran to immediately cease all discrimination, harassment, detention, property confiscation and fundamental rights violations;

2. Urges Iran to immediately release all individuals detained for their religion or belief and defending human rights, and on faith-related blasphemy or national security charges, and to cease harassment and violence against religious communities;

3. Expresses deep concern over the targeting of Baha’i women, facing religious and gender-based persecution and accounting for two thirds of Baha’is imprisoned;

4. Demands that the Iranian authorities overturn the convictions of Fariba Kamalabadi, Roya Sabet, Anisa Fanaian, Leila Adalati, Nahid Behrouzi, Mahvash Sabet and the six Baha’i women in Hamadan, Zarrindokht Ahadzadeh, Farideh Ayyoubi, Noura Ayyoubi, Neda Mohebbi, Jaleh Rezaie, and Atefeh Zahedi; calls for the release of Afshin Heyratian and Farhad Fahandej;

5. Firmly condemns the rise in executions in Iran; reiterates its strong opposition to the death penalty and urges Iran to halt its use as a tool of political and religious repression;

6. Strongly condemns the desecration, destruction and confiscation of Baha’i cemeteries and obstruction of funeral rites;

7. Urges Iran to repeal the 1991 Memorandum and allow Baha’is access to education, employment and basic services and to halt property confiscations, return all seized assets and provide legal remedies and compensation to victims;

8. Calls for the EU and Member States to raise the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, notably religious freedom violations, in all dialogue with Iran, and to impose sanctions on Iranian judges, prosecutors and intelligence officers persecuting Baha’is;

9. Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and extend EU sanctions to all its members and those responsible for human rights violations;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Office of the President and the Office of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.