The European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee has compiled a draft list of eight Iranian opposition figures it intends to invite to address an upcoming meeting, according to Euractiv’s Rapporteur newsletter. The proposed names — still subject to internal approval — are due to be formally discussed and potentially endorsed by political groups on Wednesday.
The shortlist includes Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, who is the most internationally recognised figure among those proposed. Pahlavi has cultivated ties with the US administration and has positioned himself as a secular and democratic alternative to Iran’s clerical leadership. He has drawn support among parts of the Iranian diaspora at protests across European cities.
Also named are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi; Mustafa Hijri of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI); Saeed Bashirtash of the Aban Front; Abdullah Mohtadi of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan; and Navid Shomali of the Tudeh Party of Iran. The Association for the Promotion of Open Society (APOS) on Iran is also included, with one seat left symbolically vacant to represent those persecuted inside the country.
The cabinet of European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the European External Action Service were consulted on the draft list but did not comment, according to Euractiv.
German Green MEP Hannah Neumann described the shortlist as a “balanced representation” of civil society and diaspora opposition, arguing that any political transition would require broad inclusion.
Notably absent is the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), also known as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), despite lobbying by some MEPs. The group has attracted high-profile Western political figures to its events, including former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt and former US officials Mike Pompeo and Mike Pence.
Some European lawmakers continue to advocate for broader representation. Finnish MEP Sebastian Tynkkynen has campaigned for Pahlavi to be invited, arguing that international recognition is important. Meanwhile, Renew’s Petras Auštrevičius and the European People’s Party’s Milan Zver are among those pushing for the NCRI to be granted a platform.
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