ROME: Italian senators have established the Committee of Parliamentarians for a Free Iran.
The initiative, launched by Sen. Roberto Rampi of the Democratic Party, was presented at an event attended by Arab News in the Italian Senate.
A dozen senators belonging to all political parties took part in the event, which was attended remotely by Maryam Rajavi, president of the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran.
Speaking to Arab News, Rampi expressed hope for “maximum support from the Italian Parliament” for the committee, which aims “to support the rights of Iranian men and women.”
Former Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata said the committee is “an extremely important signal to achieve the goal of a free, secular, nuclear-free Iran. Italian foreign policy should cooperate to achieve this goal.”
He added: “Crimes against justice in Iran are not tolerable. They must be punished. Italy must do like Switzerland and Sweden, which have brought criminals like (Iranian President Ebrahim) Raisi before national and international judicial bodies.”
Sen. Stefania Pezzopane of the Democratic Party said: “In Iran, women are excluded from human rights, and dozens of them are executed every year. We hope that the Italian Parliament will be the first parliament in Europe to honor those women who were victims of the Iranian regime.”
Support for women in Iran was also expressed by Sen. Virginia Tiraboschi of the Forza Italia party. “They fight a very difficult battle there, and there’s no doubt that we’re on their side,” she said.
Sen. Enrico Aimi, also of Forza Italia, stressed “the need for the unity of all political forces in support of the promotion of freedom and human rights in Iran.”
Rajavi said: “In Italy in recent years, there have been many demonstrations in defense of human rights in Iran. I’m very thankful for the unity among MPs in Italy in standing with the Iranian people.”
