France and Germany joined other European nations on Monday in summoning their Iran envoys in protest against Tehran's deadly crackdown on demonstrations and the latest executions of anti-government protesters.
The Islamic republic has seen a wave of violent civil unrest since the September 16 death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, following her arrest for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women.
Authorities have carried out four executions in connection with the demonstrations, sparking global outrage.
The Iranian judiciary on Monday said it had sentenced to death three more people accused of killing members of the security forces during protests.
Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters the Iranian ambassador had been called to her ministry "to make unmistakably clear that the brutal repression, the oppression and the terrorising of its own population as well as the most recent two executions will not remain without consequence".
The German minister said it was "key" that the European Union remain united and not "close our eyes" to human rights violations in other nations.
"We must not be resigned but should make clear again and again that we stand by the people who want nothing but to live in freedom and security," she said.
#Iran: Karaj protesters Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini who were sentenced to death for charges of efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth), were executed in the early hours of this morning. ⬇️#StopExecutionsInIran #NoDeathPenalty https://t.co/KLnc3tJG5D https://t.co/9vt6SB4gSu pic.twitter.com/SSs2cNlyOX
— Iran Human Rights (IHR NGO) (@IHRights) January 7, 2023
Firm condemnation
France's foreign ministry said it was summoning the Iranian chargé d'affaires "to convey our firmest condemnation of these executions and the current repression in Iran".
Dozens of Iranians, most of them religious seminary students, gathered Sunday outside the French embassy in Tehran, protesting against cartoons of the Islamic republic's supreme leader published by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
The magazine last week published caricatures of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in support of the protests in Iran.
"We followed with utmost attention the protest organised yesterday in front of the French embassy in Tehran, which was in no way spontaneous," the French foreign ministry said.
More rallies against the Iranian regime have been held in England and France in recent days, while protest continued inside Iran.
'Appalling'
On Saturday, Iran executed Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, convicted of killing a paramilitary force member in November, in Karaj west of Tehran.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Saturday's executions "appalling" and urged Iran to stop carrying out the death penalty "and to release those arrested on false grounds".
Two other men, Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard, were put to death in December after being convicted of separate attacks on security forces.
Iran has blamed the unrest on "hostile" foreign forces, and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday that authorities had been dealing "seriously and justly" with those implicated in the "riots".
Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) said Monday at least 109 protesters now in detention have been sentenced to death or face charges that can carry capital punishment.
In an updated death toll, IHR said Monday that 481 protesters have been killed, including 64 minors, since the unrest began.
Other European countries including Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands have also summoned Iranian diplomats in protest at the latest executions.
(With newswires)
