Condolences expressed this Monday by those responsible for the European Union (EU) for the death of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have drawn criticism on social networks from political leaders and anonymous people.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, expressed their condolences on social media today on behalf of the European organization.
The reports sparked outraged reactions on social media, both from government officials or political leaders and from anonymous people.
“They can look into the eyes of the brave women and freedom fighters in Iran (…) What a shame,” said Swedish MEP David Lega (PPE, right) on social media X.
“Not in my name,” Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders also said.
Former Belgian Secretary of State Theo Franken (N-Virginia, Flemish Nationalists) condemned “European condolences for the death of a butcher and brutal mass murderer.”
“Diplomacy means dialogue, including with regimes with which we have deep differences,” explained Charles Michel’s press secretary Catherine Casinge, emphasizing that “maintaining dialogue with Iran is necessary to prevent regional escalation.”
Casinge added that sending condolences in these circumstances is “common practice” and that “many states, in particular the EU, as well as the secretaries general of the United Nations and NATO” have done the same.
On Sunday, the EU activated its mapping system to help Iran locate the helicopter in response to the country’s request.
This statement by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Janez Lenarčić, who used the hashtag “EU Solidarity,” has already drawn sharp criticism.
“What a pathetic hashtag, what a mockery of the courageous defenders of human rights in Iran,” reacted Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a German MP from the liberal FDP party and a candidate in the European elections.
Janez Lenarcic said the activation of the Copernicus satellite system “to facilitate search and rescue operations is not an act of political support for the regime.”
“It is simply an expression of the most basic humanity,” he argued.
Iran is the target of EU sanctions due to its nuclear activities, military support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and human rights abuses in the country.
The sanctions were strengthened following a crackdown on protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained for failing to comply with the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
Swedish EU diplomat Johan Floderus is currently in custody in Iran, where he faces the death penalty on espionage charges.
Iranian rescue teams today recovered the remains of Ebrahim Raisi and eight other passengers on a helicopter that crashed in northwestern Iran on Sunday, the Red Crescent humanitarian organization said.
The helicopter, which also carried Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, crashed in the area of Qalibar and Varzgan, in the province of East Azerbaijan, in the north-west of the country.
Hours earlier, Iran’s government confirmed Raisi’s death, adding that the disaster would not cause “any disruption to the governance” of the country.