Skip to content
EU Parl Watch

Adopted text, 27 November 2025

Escalating repression of the Baha'is in Iran

Document TA-10-2025-0303 · P10_TA(2025)0303 · PE779.001

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

Parliament condemns Iran's escalating persecution of the Baha'i community and other minorities, urging an end to discrimination, detentions, and property confiscation. It demands the release of detained Baha'is, overturning of convictions, and repeal of the 1991 memorandum, and calls for EU sanctions on Iranian officials and designation of the IRGC as terrorist.

Key points

  1. Strongly condemns the escalating persecution of the Baha'i community and systemic suppression of all religious and ethnic minorities and women.
  2. Calls on Iran to immediately cease all discrimination, harassment, detention, property confiscation and fundamental rights violations.
  3. Urges Iran to release all individuals detained for their religion or belief or on faith-related charges, and to cease harassment and violence against religious communities.
  4. Expresses deep concern over the targeting of Baha'i women, who face religious and gender-based persecution and account for two thirds of Baha'is imprisoned.
  5. Demands that Iranian authorities overturn the convictions of named Baha'i women and calls for the release of Afshin Heyratian and Farhad Fahandej.
  6. Firmly condemns the rise in executions in Iran, reiterates opposition to the death penalty, and urges Iran to halt its use as a tool of political and religious repression.
  7. Strongly condemns the desecration, destruction and confiscation of Baha'i cemeteries and obstruction of funeral rites.
  8. Urges Iran to repeal the 1991 Memorandum, allow Baha'is access to education, employment and basic services, halt property confiscations, return seized assets, and provide legal remedies and compensation.
  9. Calls for the EU and Member States to raise human rights violations in Iran in all dialogues and to impose sanctions on Iranian judges, prosecutors and intelligence officers persecuting Baha'is.
  10. Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and extend EU sanctions to all its members and those responsible for human rights violations.

Who is affected

  • The Baha'i community in Iran, including detained individuals and women facing persecution.
  • Iranian authorities, including judges, prosecutors and intelligence officers, face potential EU sanctions.
  • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its members are targeted for EU sanctions and terrorist designation.

Figures and deadlines

  • 300 000 members of the Baha'i community in Iran.
  • Approximately 1 200 Baha'is faced legal proceedings or imprisonment in 2024.
  • Women represented two thirds of detainees.
  • 16 women in Hamadan and Isfahan sentenced to a combined 129 years.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 18 paragraphs

European Parliament resolution of 27 November 2025 on the escalating repression of the Baha’is in Iran (2025/2987(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas the Baha’i community, comprising 300 000 members and lacking constitutional recognition, faces systematic persecution under the 1991 Iranian memorandum, including arbitrary arrests and imprisonment, forced disappearance, denial of dignified burial, property confiscation, denial of education and employment and incitement to hatred by state-controlled media;

B.whereas Iranian authorities have continuously intensified repression against the Baha’i community through mass detentions, expedited trials and false accusations of espionage and collaboration with foreign entities;

C.whereas in 2024, approximately 1 200 Baha’is faced legal proceedings or imprisonment, with women representing two thirds of detainees and 16 women in Hamadan and Isfahan sentenced to a combined 129 years and subjected to torture and severe violations of due process;

D.whereas authorities have desecrated Baha’i cemeteries, including in Tehran, Ahvaz, Rafsanjan, Kerman and Hamadan;

1.Strongly condemns the escalating persecution of the Baha’i community and systemic suppression of all religious and ethnic minorities and women; calls on Iran to immediately cease all discrimination, harassment, detention, property confiscation and fundamental rights violations;

2.Urges Iran to immediately release all individuals detained for their religion or belief and defending human rights, and on faith-related blasphemy or national security charges, and to cease harassment and violence against religious communities;

3.Expresses deep concern over the targeting of Baha’i women, facing religious and gender-based persecution and accounting for two thirds of Baha’is imprisoned;

4.Demands that the Iranian authorities overturn the convictions of Fariba Kamalabadi, Roya Sabet, Anisa Fanaian, Leila Adalati, Nahid Behrouzi, Mahvash Sabet and the six Baha’i women in Hamadan, Zarrindokht Ahadzadeh, Farideh Ayyoubi, Noura Ayyoubi, Neda Mohebbi, Jaleh Rezaie, and Atefeh Zahedi; calls for the release of Afshin Heyratian and Farhad Fahandej;

Read the rest (6 paragraphs)

5.Firmly condemns the rise in executions in Iran; reiterates its strong opposition to the death penalty and urges Iran to halt its use as a tool of political and religious repression;

6.Strongly condemns the desecration, destruction and confiscation of Baha’i cemeteries and obstruction of funeral rites;

7.Urges Iran to repeal the 1991 Memorandum and allow Baha’is access to education, employment and basic services and to halt property confiscations, return all seized assets and provide legal remedies and compensation to victims;

8.Calls for the EU and Member States to raise the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, notably religious freedom violations, in all dialogue with Iran, and to impose sanctions on Iranian judges, prosecutors and intelligence officers persecuting Baha’is;

9.Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and extend EU sanctions to all its members and those responsible for human rights violations;

10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Office of the President and the Office of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.