Newly-elected president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola delivers a speech during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France, January 18, 2022. (REUTERS File Photo)
Lawmakers in the European Parliament will cut ties to Iran officials and institutions in reaction to a series of sanctions put on members of the legislature by Tehran, according to EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
"We will no longer engage with Iranian authorities," she said in her comments.
Iran has been disrupted by widespread demonstrations and violent crackdowns since mid-September, as rage spread due to the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly wearing a headscarf incorrectly and letting some of her hair show.
Authorities say she died of natural causes, but that version of the story is heavily disputed.
The Iranian authorities aggressive response to the protesters has prompted a surge of EU sanctions which, in turn, prompted Iran to lay countersanctions on EU lawmakers which, for example, block some of them from visiting Iran.
In response to the unacceptable Iranian sanctioning of this house there shall be no direct contact between European Parliament delegations and committees with official Iranian counterparts until further notice," said Metsola.
"We will not look away from those who look to us on the streets of Iran. We are with you. We will stay with you."
