President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed support for anti-government protests in Iran on Monday, in the wake of a brutal crackdown by Tehran that has killed thousands.
The protests – which began on Dec. 28 in response to the catastrophic devaluation of Iran’s currency – gathered momentum after US President Donald Trump promised that the US would “come to [protesters’] rescue” if the government opened fire on them. It is a promise he has yet to keep.
Writing on Telegram, Zelensky said Monday that “Ukraine will not forget any of the thousands of Shaheds striking our cities and villages, our people” – referring to the Iranian-designed Shahed drones frequently used in Russian attacks on Ukraine.
Tehran and Moscow have long been allies. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the head of Iran’s top security body in Moscow on Friday, as US pressure on Iran continued to build.
“Ukraine supports the peoples who value freedom and are truly ready to fight for it,” Zelensky said. “The whole world sees what is happening in Iran, how many murders there are and how the Iranian regime has contributed to the spread of war and violence in the region and the world.”
The EU designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is charged with the defense of the government, as a terrorist organization on Jan. 29. On Sunday, Iran retaliated with a similar designation for Europe’s armies.
Zelensky expressed support for the EU’s decision to condemn Iran’s IRGC, pointing out that Ukraine had already done so.
“We in Ukraine have already made such a decision and have already designated this organization as a terrorist organization, for us this issue is closed,” he said.