On May 31, 2025, former Dutch MEP Derk Jan Eppink addressed an international conference in support of the Iranian Resistance and Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a democratic Iran. The gathering united political leaders, parliamentarians, and activists from across the globe in a common stance against the Iranian regime and in support of the NCRI.
Eppink opened his remarks by greeting the residents of Ashraf 3 and affirming continued support for their struggle. He condemned the Iranian regime for holding the world’s highest per capita execution rate and cited Amnesty International’s data showing Iran accounted for 64% of all documented executions in 2024, despite representing only 1% of the global population. He warned that 2025 has seen an alarming rise in executions.
He also highlighted Iran’s terror operations inside Europe, referencing assassinations and attempted killings of Iranian dissidents in the Netherlands. Eppink stressed that standing with the Resistance is not only a moral obligation, but essential to European security.
He called for an end to appeasement and endorsed Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan as a clear, viable path to democracy. “A democratic Iran,” he said, “will be a game changer for the good — in both the Middle East and Europe.”
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the speech for clarity and readability.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for having invited me.
And let me also send my greetings to the people of Ashraf 3. I experienced your hospitality a few years ago, and you need to know: we are here for you and for the people of Iran and their liberation.
The Iranian regime holds a grim record. It is the world’s number one executioner — per capita, unfortunately.
.@djeppink: Condemning the regime isn’t enough—we need action. I stand with the brave people of Iran who’ve endured decades of oppression. Hope lies in @Maryam_Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, a vision Dutch senators have endorsed.#NCRIAlternative
https://t.co/rmPl7Zn4cH— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 31, 2025
According to Amnesty International, last year 64% of all documented executions worldwide took place in Iran — a country that accounts for just 1% of the global population.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is barbaric. Everyone agrees on this.
But what’s even more alarming is that in 2025 — this very year — the situation is getting worse. Executions are rising at an alarming rate.
The world cannot remain silent.
There can be no business as usual with a regime that shows no respect for its own citizens.
And if that weren’t enough, the regime’s terror has also reached Europe.
Our own Dutch security service — the AIVD — has concluded that the Iranian state was most likely behind terror plots on European soil. Including in the Netherlands, various Iranian dissidents have been murdered — shot in the street.
Even recently, contract killers tried to assassinate an Iranian dissident. The hit was contracted by Iran. Fortunately, the police intervened in time — thanks to a security device.
So we are not only defending the rights of the Iranian people as a matter of universal principle — we are also defending our own security and sovereignty.
But condemnation is not enough.
We need action. We need clarity. And that is why I am here today.
We must stand with the brave people of Iran — those who have endured decades of oppression and refused to give up.
We must stand with those offering real hope for a better future. This is the message of Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
Former Dutch MP @djeppink: Iran is the world’s top executioner per capita. In 2023, 64% of documented executions occurred there—yet it holds just 1% of the world’s population. In 2025, it’s getting worse. The world must act now.#FreeIran2025
https://t.co/rmPl7Zn4cH— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 31, 2025
It is also the message that Dutch senators have endorsed. The Ten-Point Plan is a clear and feasible roadmap toward democracy in Iran.
So we must remain persistent.
Recently, there was strong wording from President Trump, saying that Iran will never be a nuclear power.
This is very important for stability in the Middle East.
But that is exactly what the Ayatollahs are aiming for — nuclear weapons as regime life insurance.
That’s what makes the current regime in Tehran so dangerous — not only for Iran’s people but for the entire world.
An Iran ruled by the Ayatollahs is a permanent global threat.
But a democratic Iran — as envisioned in the Ten-Point Plan of Mrs. Rajavi — is the key to solving many conflicts, both in the Middle East and in Europe.
A democratic Iran will be a game changer — for the good.
And your Ten-Point Plan, Madam Rajavi, will make it happen.
Merci.