A majority of Maltese parliamentarians have issued a strong statement expressing deep concern over the human rights situation in Iran and calling for international recognition of the Iranian people’s right to regime change. The declaration, signed by numerous members, highlights the escalating repression within Iran and advocates for a democratic future.
The statement reports that at least 1,000 executions have been carried out by the Iranian regime in 2024 alone. It condemns the “Hijab and Chastity Law” as a means not only to enforce mandatory hijab but also to impose comprehensive police control over society. This stands in stark contrast to the democratic opposition’s platform, which calls for “No to compulsory hijab, no to compulsory religion, and no to compulsory rule,” alongside their “No to Executions” campaign.
In a clear sign of the regime’s desperation, nine political prisoners were sentenced to death in late 2024 for alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The declaration also notes that the regime’s attempts to halt the momentum of popular protests and PMOI-led Resistance Units through increased repression and executions have failed.
Malta’s parliamentary majority voices firm solidarity with Iran’s pro-democracy movement. A decisive call for liberty, justice, and a secular republic in place of religious dictatorship.
#FreeIran2025 #en_simayazadi pic.twitter.com/gYAL4AnS21— SIMAY AZADI TV (@en_simayazadi) May 22, 2025
Weakened Regime and the Call for International Action
The Maltese parliamentarians assert that a key pillar of the Iranian regime’s survival strategy relies on proxy groups and regional dominance. However, they point to the collapse of Hezbollah’s influence and the rapid downfall of the Syrian dictator as significant blows that have weakened the regime. The Syrian experience, they argue, has demonstrated that regimes like the mullahs and Assad are vulnerable to collapse, contrary to their propaganda. The statement warns that appeasing and investing in these regimes not only violates democratic values but is also politically and economically detrimental.
Given the regime’s complete blockade of all avenues for political activity, the declaration emphasizes that the Iranian people’s right to regime change and the resistance units’ right to fight the IRGC must be recognized, and the IRGC should be designated as a terrorist organization. Supporting the Iranian people, who seek regime change, is deemed both the right policy and a moral imperative. The Iranian people and their organized resistance must be central to any principled policy on Iran.
The Majority of the Maltese parliament has issued a statement in support of the Iranian people’s democratic uprising and their desire for a republic based on freedom and democracy.#FreeIran2023 https://t.co/rF6H8IvXxp
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 29, 2023
The Democratic Alternative for Iran
In the 2022 uprising, the people of Iran rejected all forms of dictatorship, whether monarchical or theocratic, and demanded a democratic republic – a demand reaffirmed by their complete boycott of the presidential election sham.
The Iranian opposition, with its democratic platform and the Ten-Point Plan proposed by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, calls for national solidarity and a roadmap to end the religious dictatorship and transfer sovereignty to the people’s representatives. This vision, the statement concludes, offers the prospect of a democratic Iran and lasting peace in the region. The declaration highlights that in June 2024, more than 4,000 parliamentarians from across the political spectrum and 100 former leaders issued statements supporting the Ten-Point Plan for a democratic republic based on the separation of religion and state and gender equality. The Maltese signatories urge all governments to support this plan.