Belgian Foreign Minister summons Iran’s ambassador, urging Tehran to listen to peaceful protesters and refrain from disproportionate force.
BRUSSELS: Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot summoned Iran’s ambassador on Monday to urge Tehran to listen to the peaceful demands of protesting Iranians.
Prevot conveyed Belgium’s deep concerns over the situation and called on Iranian authorities to “refrain from any disproportionate use of force”.
The protests, initially sparked by economic grievances, have grown into a major challenge to Iran’s theocratic system.
They began in Tehran on December 28 before spreading to other cities across the country.
A rights group reported on Monday that more than 600 people have been killed in the state crackdown on the unrest.
“The current situation in Iran is more than worrying,” Prevot stated in an official statement.
Last week, Belgium advised its nationals to leave Iran as soon as possible, citing a high risk of arbitrary detentions.
