To the Governments Participating in the Rome Nuclear Negotiations, the United Nations, the European Union, International Human Rights Institutions, and the Global Public Opinion
On the eve of the second round of nuclear negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, scheduled to take place in Rome on April 19, 2025, the undersigned civil and human rights institutions, organizations, groups, and networks affirm that while these talks may have strategic significance, they cannot substitute for the international community’s responsibility in the face of the systemic human rights violations in Iran.
We support any diplomatic initiative that prevents the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and contributes to the de-escalation of conflicts in the region. However, we stress that any agreement which strengthens the position of the current Iranian regime and prolongs its survival without accountability for its ongoing human rights abuses stands in direct contradiction to the will of the majority of the Iranian people, who seek a transition from authoritarian rule toward a democratic government grounded in the popular will.
Striking a deal with a regime that structurally violates human rights—including through gender apartheid, the widespread use of the death penalty, repression of minorities, imprisonment of dissidents and activists, and restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and belief—without establishing binding and effective mechanisms to halt these violations, is not only illegitimate, but also constitutes an unintended complicity with oppression.
We believe that lasting peace is unattainable without respect for human dignity.
Therefore, we call on the governments participating in the negotiations, international institutions, and the global community to consider the following points as essential preconditions for any agreement:
- The immediate and unconditional release of all political and ideological prisoners, and the end of criminalization of political, labor, and civil activism;
- Unrestricted freedom of belief, expression, thought, press, political parties, and grassroots and nationwide labor and civil organizations;
- The immediate abolition of all forms of death sentences, executions, and retributive justice, as well as the prohibition of all forms of psychological and physical torture;
- The inclusion of clear and verifiable human rights commitments in the content of any potential agreement;
- Explicit support for the Iranian people’s right to self-determination through free and fair elections.
Finally, we emphasize that the legitimacy of any sustainable and meaningful agreement is contingent not only upon halting dangerous nuclear activities but also on a commitment to the political and social rights and freedoms of the people of Iran.
With respect,
April 2025