It looks like Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick have something in common, when it comes to the issue of nationwide political demonstrations in Iran in the first weeks of the New Year and the Iranian government’s violent response.
They have not taken time out from their holidaying to register their reactions.
Or rather, PoO has found no media reports which record their reactions (and yes, this might attest to PoO not looking hard enough).
Perhaps they have found holiday spots which are remarkably impervious to inflows of news about the Iranian government’s egregious suppression of protests, including reports of thousands killed, international criticism of Tehran’s use of force and US President Donald Trump’s threats to intervene and sort things out.
Last year Luxon made public comments on other Middle East issues, including the condemning the Iran-linked fire attacks at Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, a fast-food restaurant in Sydney in October, and at Melbourne’s Adass Synagogue in December 2024.
But we have not designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, as the Australian Government has done.
New Zealand has reimposed UN-mandated sanctions on Iran, but that reflects concerns over Iran’s non-compliance with nuclear obligations and uranium enrichment, not with the attempt to suppress protests with violence.
A compulsory registration scheme for businesses dealing with Iranian entities is scheduled to take effect on February 1.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) has issued urgent warnings for New Zealanders in that benighted country to “leave now” due to the volatile security situation.
Chlöe Swarbrick is apt to be more passionate – and voluble – when expressing herself on Middle East matters.
But much of her recent foreign policy focus has been on the conflict in Gaza and on denouncing the Israeli Government, resulting in her ejection from Parliament in August during an urgent debate on Palestinian statehood. She accused coalition MPs of lacking a “spine” for not supporting the Green Party’s bill to sanction Israel for what she described as “war crimes” and “genocide” in Gaza.
She has been a frequent speaker at pro-Palestine rallies in Auckland, advocating the recognition of Palestinian statehood and an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Fair to say, the Greens have not been mute on the matter of the violence in Iran. MP Teanau Tuiono has said the Greens stand in solidarity with Iranians who are protesting the abuses of the Iranian Government and are risking their lives for freedom in Iran.
The repression of the Iranian Government towards human rights activists, feminists, and critics of the regime is well documented. Governments around the world, including New Zealand’s, must stand firmly against the Iranian government’s human rights abuses, including the detention, torture, and executions of critics, and their violent crackdowns on protests.
The Green Party oppose the forced internet shutdown and the violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrators. The Iranian regime must cease the violence towards demonstrators.
Tuiono (echoing the concerns of many world leaders) said US military intervention was not the answer.
“The US thirst for the oil and resources of other countries is what is so alarming about their intervention in Venezuela as we remember the US invasion of Iraq which led to the death and displacement of countless people.
“We call on all Governments to support the people of Iran to freely determine the future of their country, free from the interference and control of the Iranian and American regimes.”
Something similar could be said of Greenland, although the people there are not so much bothered by their own government. It’s the Trump bunch in Washington that is threatening their wellbeing.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
Or rather, PoO has found no media reports which record their reactions (and yes, this might attest to PoO not looking hard enough).
Perhaps they have found holiday spots which are remarkably impervious to inflows of news about the Iranian government’s egregious suppression of protests, including reports of thousands killed, international criticism of Tehran’s use of force and US President Donald Trump’s threats to intervene and sort things out.
Last year Luxon made public comments on other Middle East issues, including the condemning the Iran-linked fire attacks at Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, a fast-food restaurant in Sydney in October, and at Melbourne’s Adass Synagogue in December 2024.
But we have not designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, as the Australian Government has done.
New Zealand has reimposed UN-mandated sanctions on Iran, but that reflects concerns over Iran’s non-compliance with nuclear obligations and uranium enrichment, not with the attempt to suppress protests with violence.
A compulsory registration scheme for businesses dealing with Iranian entities is scheduled to take effect on February 1.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) has issued urgent warnings for New Zealanders in that benighted country to “leave now” due to the volatile security situation.
Chlöe Swarbrick is apt to be more passionate – and voluble – when expressing herself on Middle East matters.
But much of her recent foreign policy focus has been on the conflict in Gaza and on denouncing the Israeli Government, resulting in her ejection from Parliament in August during an urgent debate on Palestinian statehood. She accused coalition MPs of lacking a “spine” for not supporting the Green Party’s bill to sanction Israel for what she described as “war crimes” and “genocide” in Gaza.
She has been a frequent speaker at pro-Palestine rallies in Auckland, advocating the recognition of Palestinian statehood and an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Fair to say, the Greens have not been mute on the matter of the violence in Iran. MP Teanau Tuiono has said the Greens stand in solidarity with Iranians who are protesting the abuses of the Iranian Government and are risking their lives for freedom in Iran.
The repression of the Iranian Government towards human rights activists, feminists, and critics of the regime is well documented. Governments around the world, including New Zealand’s, must stand firmly against the Iranian government’s human rights abuses, including the detention, torture, and executions of critics, and their violent crackdowns on protests.
The Green Party oppose the forced internet shutdown and the violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrators. The Iranian regime must cease the violence towards demonstrators.
Tuiono (echoing the concerns of many world leaders) said US military intervention was not the answer.
“The US thirst for the oil and resources of other countries is what is so alarming about their intervention in Venezuela as we remember the US invasion of Iraq which led to the death and displacement of countless people.
“We call on all Governments to support the people of Iran to freely determine the future of their country, free from the interference and control of the Iranian and American regimes.”
Something similar could be said of Greenland, although the people there are not so much bothered by their own government. It’s the Trump bunch in Washington that is threatening their wellbeing.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
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