In a historic step reflecting deep concern and international solidarity, several Nobel laureates have sent an open letter to world leaders, expressing their grave concerns over the ongoing deterioration of human rights in Iran. This letter, signed by 11 prominent figures from various fields, was addressed to U.S. President Joe Biden, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Council President Charles Michel, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with copies sent to leaders of the 27 European Union member states.
Deep Concern Over Human Rights
The signatories expressed their profound concerns over the "brutal repression" being perpetrated by the Iranian regime against its people, including ethnic and religious minorities. They highlighted that Iran leads the world in executions per capita, with at least 864 executions carried out in 2023 alone. This alarming figure reflects a harsh reality for human rights in Iran, where executions are used as a tool of repression to intimidate and silence dissent.
The 2022 Uprising and Calls for Regime Change
The letter referenced the 2022 uprising, which saw widespread rejection of all forms of dictatorship, whether monarchical or theocratic. The Iranian people called for regime change and the establishment of a democratic republic. Despite the Iranian regime's efforts to crush this protest movement, the letter emphasizes that the regime is now attempting to export terrorism and destabilize the region as a means to divert attention from its domestic repression and evade accountability.
U.S. House Resolution 1148
The letter highlighted U.S. House Resolution 1148, which represents a strong condemnation of the multiple crimes committed by the Iranian regime, including acts of terrorism and fomenting regional conflicts through proxy wars, as well as domestic repression. The resolution, supported by 145 representatives, reflects an increasing commitment within the United States to support the Iranian resistance and its calls for change.
Maryam Rajavi's Ten-Point Plan
The Nobel laureates expressed strong support for the ten-point plan presented by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. This plan calls for universal voting rights, free elections, a market economy, separation of religion and state, gender and ethnic equality, and a foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence and peace in the Middle East, along with a non-nuclear Iran. This plan represents a comprehensive vision for a free and democratic future for Iran.
Call to Designate the IRGC as a Terrorist Entity
The letter made a direct call for the free world to blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity. The signatories described the IRGC as the primary source of internal repression and the export of violence and terrorism to different parts of the world. This call reflects the growing concern over the IRGC's role in destabilizing the region and targeting dissidents both domestically and abroad.
International Solidarity and Global Demands
The letter emphasized the broad international support for the Iranian people's democratic demands. The signatories noted their alignment with 4,000 parliamentarians from 41 countries and 125 former world leaders in supporting Mrs. Rajavi's plan. This wide-ranging international support strengthens the demands and increases pressure on the Iranian regime to respond to the people's calls.
Conclusion and Analysis
This letter reflects increasing international efforts to highlight serious human rights violations in Iran and calls for a radical change in the ruling regime. Diplomatic moves and parliamentary resolutions, such as U.S. House Resolution 1148, represent crucial steps towards pressuring the Iranian regime to halt its abuses and meet the Iranian people's demands for freedom and democracy.
The situation in Iran requires strong international solidarity and decisive action from the global community to ensure human rights and democracy in the country. The Nobel laureates, with their prestigious standing and global influence, provide unequivocal support to the Iranian people, reinforcing the importance and strength of international demands for change in Iran. This letter serves as a global call to action and solidarity with the Iranian people in their quest for freedom and democracy.
• Professor Pierre Agostini, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023, France
• Mr. Oscar Arias, (President of Costa Rica 2006-2010), Nobel Peace Prize 1986, Costa Rica
• Professor Svetlana Alexievich, Nobel Prize in Literature 2015, Belarus
• Professor Harvey J. Alter, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020, USA
• Professor Robert Aumann, Nobel Prize in Economics 2005, USA-Israel
• Professor Barry C. Barish, Nobel Prize in Physics 2017, USA
• Mr. Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, Nobel Peace Prize 1996, East Timor
• Professor Georg Bednorz, Nobel Prize in Physics 1987, Germany
• Professor Bruce Beutler, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2011, USA
• Professor J. Michael Bishop, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1989, USA
• Professor Mario Capecchi, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2007, Italy-USA
• Professor Thomas Cech, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1989, USA
• Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020, Germany
• Professor Elias Corey, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1990, USA
• Professor Johann Deisenhofer, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1988, USA-Germany
• Professor Gerhard Ertl, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2007, Germany
• Professor Jerome Friedman, Nobel Prize in Physics 1990, USA
• Professor Joachim Frank, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017, USA
• Professor Sheldon Glashow, Nobel Prize in Physics 1979, USA
• Professor David Gross, Nobel Prize in Physics 2004, USA
• Professor John L. Hall, Nobel Prize in Physics 2005, USA
• Professor Serge Haroche, Nobel Prize in Physics 2012, France
• Professor Oliver Hart, Nobel Prize in Economics 2016, USA
• Professor Alan Heeger, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2000, USA
• Professor Richard Henderson, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017, UK
• Professor Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1981, USA
• Professor Jules Hoffmann, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2011, France
• Professor Gerard 't Hooft, Nobel Prize in Physics 1999, Netherlands
• Professor Tim Hunt, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2001, UK
• Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, Nobel Prize in Literature 2017, UK-Japan
• Ms. Elfriede Jelinek, Nobel Prize in Literature 2004, Austria
• Professor Brian Josephson, Nobel Prize in Physics 1973, UK
• Professor Takaaki Kajita, Nobel Prize in Physics 2015, Japan
• Professor Brian Kobilka, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012, USA
• Professor Roger D. Kornberg, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2006, USA
• Professor Finn Kydland, Nobel Prize in Economics 2004, Norway
• Professor Yuan T. Lee, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1986, USA-Taiwan
• Professor Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012, USA
• Professor Anthony Leggett, Nobel Prize in Physics 2003, UK-USA
• Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1987, France
• Professor Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize in Literature 2010, Peru
• Professor Eric Maskin, Nobel Prize in Economics 2007, USA
• Professor John C. Mather, Nobel Prize in Physics 2006, USA
• Ms. Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize 2022, Ukraine
• Professor Michel Mayor, Nobel Prize in Physics 2019, Switzerland
• Professor David MacMillan, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021, UK-USA
• Professor Hartmut Michel, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1988, Germany
• Professor Paul Milgrom, Nobel Prize in Economics 2020, USA
• Professor Patrick Modiano, Nobel Prize in Literature 2014, France
• Professor Paul Modrich, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2015, USA
• Professor William Moerner, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014, USA
• Ms. Herta Müller, Nobel Prize in Literature 2009, Germany
• Mr. Dmitry Muratov, Nobel Peace Prize 2021, Russia
• Professor William D. Phillips, Nobel Prize in Physics 1997, USA
• Professor Christopher Pissarides, Nobel Prize in Economics 2010, UK-Cyprus
• Professor John Polanyi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1986, Canada
• Professor Sir Peter Ratcliffe, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2019, UK
• Professor Charles Rice, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020, USA
• Professor Sir Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1993, UK-USA
• Professor Michael Rosbash, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2017, USA
• Professor Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016, France
• Professor Randy Schekman, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2013, USA
• Professor Richard Schrock, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005, USA
• Professor Gregg Semenza, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2019, USA
• Professor Dan Shechtman, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2011, Israel-USA
• Professor Vernon Smith, Nobel Prize in Economics 2002, USA
• Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Prize in Literature 1986, Nigeria
• Professor Sir James Fraser Stoddart, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016, UK
• Professor Donna Strickland, Nobel Prize in Physics 2018, Canada
• Professor Jack Szostak, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2009, USA
• Professor Kip Thorne, Nobel Prize in Physics 2017, USA
• Professor Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel Prize in Literature 2018, Poland
• Mr. Lech Wałęsa, Nobel Peace Prize 1983, Poland, President of Poland 1990-1995
• Professor John Walker, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1997, UK
• Professor Arieh Warshel, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013, Israel-USA
• Professor Stanley Whittingham, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019, USA
• Professor Eric Wieschaus, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1995, USA
• Professor Torsten Wiesel, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1981, Sweden
• Professor David J. Wineland, Nobel Prize in Physics 2012, USA
• Professor Robert Wilson, Nobel Prize in Physics 1978, USA
