Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that the international community must help Iranians build on the current wave of protests in order to bring about change and free them from a regime he said had brought “evil" to Iran and to other countries, including Ukraine.
Speaking in his nightly video address and quoted by Reuters, Zelenskyy described the nationwide demonstrations sweeping Iran as an “uprising."
He said the unrest underscored the need for Russia to reconsider its close partnership with Tehran, which has supplied Moscow with Iranian‑made “Shahed" drones used extensively in the nearly four‑year‑old war against Kyiv.
“Every normal person on Earth very much wants the people of Iran to finally be fortunate enough to free themselves from the regime that exists there and that has brought so much evil, including to Ukraine and to other countries," Zelenskyy said.
“It is important that the world not miss this moment, when change is possible. Every leader, every country, international organisations must engage now and help people remove those who are responsible for Iran unfortunately being what it has been," he added.
According to US-based rights group HRANA, at least 572 people have been killed and more than 10,000 arrested since protests began on December 28. However, Iran International reported on the weekend that the death toll could be even higher, saying that even the most conservative estimates indicate that at least 2,000 people had been killed over 48 hours.
Russia and Iran have strengthened their ties since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Last year, President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 20‑year strategic partnership agreement that expanded military cooperation and deepened collaboration across multiple sectors.