At the second session of the 2025 Free Iran Conference near Paris on May 31, former German Member of Parliament Nadine Ruf delivered a deeply personal and impassioned speech in support of Iranian women. Speaking as both a politician and a mother, Ruf honored the courage of women in Iran who stand up to one of the most misogynistic regimes in the world. She emphasized the importance of global solidarity among women and warned that even in Germany, the progress toward equality must not be taken for granted.
Ruf described the Iranian regime’s brutal repression—highlighting that four women were executed in the past month alone—and criticized a system where being a woman is effectively treated as a crime. Yet, she underscored that Iranian women are not only victims, but also the driving force behind the push for democratic change.
She endorsed Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, emphasizing gender equality as a cornerstone of a free and democratic Iran. Ruf concluded by expressing hope for a future where all daughters, including her own, can grow up in a world that values freedom, truth, and solidarity.
A translated version of the speech follows. Portions have been lightly edited for clarity and flow.
.@ruf_nadine: "The women of Iran are not just victims. They are the leaders of change. Europe must support this resistance."#FreeIran2025https://t.co/QBzxxm2w5j
— SIMAY AZADI TV (@en_simayazadi) May 31, 2025
Dear friends, esteemed guests,
We are here today—I am here today—to be the voice of the women of Iran. The voices of brave women who must be heard—and who are being heard. Voices that speak out, boldly, without hesitation and without fear of the consequences, against one of the most misogynistic regimes in the world.
For us in Europe, for me as a woman raised in Germany, it’s hard to imagine living in a country where it is essentially a crime to be a woman.
As we’ve just heard, oppression in Iran is pervasive. From discriminatory laws to arrests, torture, or even executions.
Just in the past month, four women were executed.
And let me be clear—I do not want to minimize in any way the situation in Iran or the suffering of women and others there.
But even in Germany, we are slowly beginning to sense again what it means when political forces grow stronger that do not see women as equals.
We must stand up against every form of injustice—whether in Iran or anywhere else in the world.
And yes, that is also why I am here today. I am the mother of three wonderful, strong, and very headstrong daughters who have the good fortune to grow up in safety.
My eldest is almost 12 years old, and she is sitting in the audience today.
I want her to know how important it is to raise her voice—and to know that many others are doing the same, whether in Germany, in Europe, or in Iran.
She should know how important it is that women show solidarity and support one another. We must not belittle each other.
On the contrary—let us be the kind of women on whose shoulders other women can stand.
That is why today is also about hope.
The women of Iran are not merely victims—quite the opposite.
They are, as they so often have been in history, and too often unrecognized, the driving force of change.
The slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” on the streets of Iran shows that resistance is alive.
One example is Maryam Akbari Monfared—we’ve already heard her name. A mother of three daughters, imprisoned for seeking nothing more than the truth: the truth about the execution of her brothers and her sister.
Young women in Iran are inspired by this kind of courage. They are now leading the protests.
Our responsibility in Europe—and around the world—is to support this resistance.
Support for equality, as enshrined in Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
That is the path toward a democratic future and a free Iran.
And let me say it clearly—that is also the kind of Iran and the kind of world I want my daughters, and all of our daughters, to grow up in.
That is why we stand today with the women of Iran.
Thank you very much.