Request for support of the Iranian people and protection of civilians

January 3, 2026

Honourable Anita Anand

Minister of Foreign Affairs

House of Commons *
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6

Subject: Request for Support of the Iranian People and Protection of Civilians

Your Excellency,

We write on behalf of a group of Iranian civil society activists to convey our deep alarm at the accelerating crisis in Iran and to urge your government to take a clear and principled position at this critical moment.

The ongoing nationwide protests are no longer limited to calls for incremental reform. They represent a broad and sustained demand for fundamental political change, including a transition away from a system that has repeatedly proven incapable of respecting the will, rights, and dignity of its citizens. The Iranian people are asserting their sovereign right to determine their own political future.

These demands have been overwhelmingly peaceful. Nevertheless, the authorities have responded with systematic repression, including the use of lethal force, mass detentions, intimidation of families, and the deliberate suppression of information. Such actions constitute serious violations of international human rights law and risk escalating an already volatile situation into widespread bloodshed.

We urge your government to publicly and unambiguously support the Iranian people’s legitimate demands for profound political change and to affirm that the right to peaceful protest includes the right to call for a change of governing system. This is not interference, but a defence of universal principles enshrined in international law.

We further call on your government to issue a clear warning to the Iranian authorities publicly that any further use of violence against civilians will not be tolerated and will carry political and legal consequences.

At this juncture, international silence would be interpreted as indifference. A firm stance in support of the Iranian people, coupled with a clear warning against state violence, can help deter further abuses and reinforce the global norm that governments cannot rule indefinitely through fear.

The Iranian people are asking not for external intervention, but for clarity, solidarity, and moral leadership. We respectfully urge your government to stand with them as they seek a future based on freedom, accountability, and self-determination.

Respectfully,

Farrokh Zandi, PhD

Chair, Canadians for Democracy in Iran