Iran will retaliate against any restrictions imposed by the European Union, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warns, after the EU barred Iranian diplomats from entering the European Parliament.
In a post on his official X account on Tuesday, Araghchi criticized Europe’s double standards, saying more than two years of genocide in Gaza, which has killed 70,000 Palestinians, has failed to prompt any meaningful action by the European Parliament against Israel.
He added that despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over war crimes, he continues to travel freely through European airspace.
In contrast, he said, “it takes only a few days of violent riots in Iran for the European Parliament to physically ban our diplomats.”
Peaceful protests over economic hardship escalated into riots last week, fueled by remarks by US and Israeli leaders, with armed groups damaging public property and causing casualties among civilians and security forces.
Dozens of Iranian civilians and security personnel have been martyred at the hands of the rioters, who have been confirmed by the Islamic Republic’s intelligence to have been in receipt of intelligence, operational, logistical, and financial support by Washington and the Israeli regime’s Mossad spy agency.
The officials have, meanwhile, underlined on all occasions that the country exerts due effort to address economic shortcomings across various sectors, but, at the same time, stands firmly in the face of any attempt at derailing protests towards unrest.
“People are not stupid. They see what is unfolding with their own eyes,” he noted, underlining that Iran does not seek hostility with the European Union but will “reciprocate any restriction.”
On Tuesday, Araghchi also slammed Germany for its double standards and hypocrisy on human rights, following comments by Chancellor Friedrich Merz accusing the country of killing protesters.
“When Iran defeats terrorists who kill civilians and police officers, the German chancellor rushes to declare that ‘violence is an expression of weakness,’” Araghchi posted on X.
His comments came in the wake of Merz’s remarks questioning the legitimacy of Iran’s government and suggesting it was nearing collapse following the recent riots across the country.