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Sam Van Rooy in Düsseldorf
One of the prominent European political figures associated with the September Düsseldorf conference was Sam Van Rooy, a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and a politician from Vlaams Belang.
The official F.I.E. Conference website lists Van Rooy among its speakers.
During the conference, Van Rooy criticized European policy toward the Islamic Republic.
His argument focused on what he described as decades of European economic engagement with Iran despite the human-rights situation inside the country.
According to the speech described in the conference material, Van Rooy argued that European governments had prioritized economic interests, including trade and energy considerations, over the suffering of Iranian citizens.
He also emphasized the importance of Iranian identity, culture and civilization in thinking about the country’s future.
That message resonates with a broader theme within the Iranian diaspora: the idea that Iran’s political future should not be designed simply by importing a Western political model.
Instead, proponents of this view argue that Iranian history, national identity, cultural traditions and the country’s particular social structure must be considered.
Van Rooy also warned against blindly adopting European or Western models.
His remarks were significant because they connected the Iranian political question with European foreign policy.
September 5, 2026 | 4:50 pm
