Macron: Change in Iran Must Come from Within, Not from Outside the Country

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, stated on Thursday regarding the unrest and protests in Iran that any change must come from within the country and not from outside. According to the Associated Press, Mr. Macron, during a speech to foreign diplomats in Paris, said: "Today, a crisis has occurred in Iran, and this crisis stems from the issue of freedom of expression for the people of Iran." The French President added: "Our role is to be vigilant, alert, and cautious to ensure that the rights of the protesters are not violated." The Associated Press notes that Mr. Macron's remarks seem to distance himself from the policies of the U.S. government and Donald Trump, who has supported Iranian protesters, as well as from the stance of Islamic Republic officials who have accused foreign countries of being behind these protests. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, previously tweeted: "I have great respect for the people of Iran who are reclaiming [their country from] their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the right time!" The French President stated that no stable and lasting change in any country comes from offices in Paris, Brussels, or Washington, but rather must emerge from within the country and from the heart of civil society. Gholamali Khoshroo, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Wednesday sent a letter to the Secretary-General and UN officials complaining about what he called "Washington's blatant interference in Iran's internal affairs," stating that Donald Trump and his deputy, Mike Pence, are "personally creating chaos in Iran." Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General, claimed on Thursday that the recent protests in Iran against rising prices and a closed political atmosphere were "designed" from abroad, stating that "the main designer of this project is an American named Michael Andrea, a former counter-terrorism official of the CIA." The anti-government protests in Iran, which began in Razavi Khorasan in response to rising prices and economic conditions, have recently spread to over 90 cities in Iran, and the crackdown on these protests has so far resulted in at least 22 deaths and over a thousand arrests of protesters. The French Foreign Ministry announced that the visit of Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, scheduled for Friday to Tehran, has been postponed. Emmanuel Macron said that two days ago he contacted Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, and told him that "France has always been a vigilant supporter of human rights and fundamental freedoms, freedom of opinion, and the right to protest... We still want to ensure that these rights are respected." Mr. Macron also mentioned that France and other countries have a clear role regarding Iran's ballistic missile program to ensure that the activities of medium and long-range missiles are not "hostile." The French President also spoke about the necessity of reaching an agreement that limits Iran's regional activities and presence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. Mr. Macron stated: "Such activities destabilize the region and lead to the persistence of highly provocative factors."