Iranian diaspora in Cyprus urges parliamentary action as protests escalate
Members of the Iranian community in Cyprus have stepped up calls for political action as protests inside Iran intensify, urging the government to take a public stance in support of demonstrators and accountability for alleged human rights abuses.
On Thursday, Iranian residents gathered outside parliament, where they delivered a memorandum to House speaker Annita Demetriou, calling for expressions of solidarity with Iranians protesting peacefully against the country’s leadership.
The resolution asks the Cypriot parliament to press at a European level for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard to be designated a terrorist organisation, to support targeted sanctions against senior officials, and to advocate for an independent international investigation into alleged violations.
The memorandum also calls for increased diplomatic pressure on Tehran and for the suspension of the Iranian embassy’s operations in Nicosia, along with all forms of bilateral cooperation, until a ceasefire and an end to violence against civilians are achieved.
Speaking outside parliament, Alexis Mahtabi, president of the Iranian community in Cyprus, appealed directly to Demetriou, urging Cyprus to condemn the Iranian leadership and to act to prevent further loss of life.
He said Iranians were “being killed unjustly and that communication blackouts, including internet and phone shutdowns, had left people inside Iran isolated”.
He described the situation as one of “widespread slaughter” and said the international community could “no longer remain silent”.
Demetriou responded that parliament would stand alongside those “fighting for democracy and freedom”, adding that a resolution would be submitted to parliament to allow Cyprus to express political support within its institutional framework.
She said Cyprus, “as a country with its own history of struggle for freedom and democracy”, understood the gravity of such moments and would assume its responsibility.
The appeal to parliament comes amid renewed demonstrations by the Iranian diaspora across Cyprus following reports of escalating violence in Iran.
Iranian authorities have rejected accusations from international human rights organisations that security forces have used lethal force against demonstrators.
Earlier this week, protests took place outside the Iranian and American embassy in Nicosia, and at locations in Limassol, including the Molos amphitheatre and Episkopi.
Demonstrators carried the Shah of Iran’s imperial standard as well as banners decrying the regime as a dictatorship, with several expressing concern for the safety of relatives still there and saying they could not return home safely.
They say their aim is to keep international attention focused on developments inside Iran and to press foreign governments to respond.