PDKI Representative Holds Official Meeting with Austrian Parliamentarian Paul Stich
On Friday 24 July 2026, Mohammad Faqi-Ali, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan’s (PDKI) representative in Austria, met with Paul Stich, an Austrian parliamentarian from the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), in his parliamentary office.
During the meeting, Mr Faqi-Ali provided a comprehensive overview of Kurdistan in general, the PDKI, and the party’s long-standing struggle for freedom and democracy. He also discussed the current situation in Iran, emphasising the Iranian regime’s repeated military attacks against Kurdish opposition parties based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. These attacks have resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of Iranian Kurdish activists and their family members, as the Islamic Republic continues to violate the sovereignty of a neighbouring country through cross-border military operations.
The PDKI representative also spoke more broadly about the Kurdish people and Kurdistan, particularly the situation in Iranian Kurdistan and the activities of the PDKI in Austria. During the discussion, he reminded the Social Democratic parliamentarian that this year marks the 37th anniversary of the assassination of Dr Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou, the distinguished leader of the PDKI, and his companions. They were assassinated at the negotiating table in Vienna by agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He expressed regret that, despite 37 years having passed, the relevant Austrian authorities have yet to fulfil their responsibility by pursuing a proper judicial process and reopening a thorough investigation into the case.
The discussion then turned to current political developments in Iran and the wider Middle East, as well as the destabilising regional policies of the Islamic Republic. Mohammad Faqi-Ali stated that, over the past 47 years, the Islamic Republic has failed to take meaningful steps towards serving the peoples of Iran. Instead, the country’s wealth and resources have been devoted to supporting Islamist extremism and establishing military networks, proxy groups and terrorist organisations across much of the region. Consequently, Iran has become a significant source of instability and insecurity in the Middle East. The PDKI representative further noted that the regime’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities and long-range missile programmes has consistently taken precedence over the welfare of the peoples of Iran and international legal norms.
Furthermore, the PDKI representative emphasised that this war is the direct consequence of the Islamic Republic’s decades-long reckless policies, repression and intimidation – not only against the peoples of Iran, but also through its continued threats to regional and international peace and security.
Mr Paul Stich thanked the PDKI representative for the visit and expressed his hope that such meetings would continue in the future, enabling members of the Austrian parliament and the Social Democratic Party to receive reliable first-hand information from credible sources regarding developments in Iranian Kurdistan and Iran.
He also pledged to review the proposals presented by the PDKI representative after the Austrian Parliament reconvenes in autumn, and to stay in touch regarding potential follow-up discussions and collaboration.
