Maxime Prevot summoned the Iranian ambassador to urge Tehran to “listen to the peaceful demands” of protesting Iranians.
“The current situation in Iran is more than worrying. I had the Iranian ambassador to Belgium summoned today [Monday],” the foreign minister said in a statement.
He added that he wanted to share Belgium’s concerns over the ongoing situation and urged the authorities in Tehran to “refrain from any disproportionate use of force”.
Iran has accused the US and Israel of fomenting the unrest in the country, and blames “terrorists” receiving outside help for the bloodshed and violence that has occurred during the protests.
Prevot’s statement comes after Belgium urged its nationals last week to leave Iran as soon as possible, referring to the risk of arbitrary detentions.
Iran’s police chief claims ‘terrorists’ killed protesters
Ahmad-Reza Radan, Iran’s national police chief, has claimed that security forces showed the “utmost restraint” and blamed protesters’ deaths on “terrorists”.
In an interview with state news agency SNN, Radan said that security forces were killed by bullets, but they were not allowed to shoot back as they tried to separate “terrorists” from protesters.
The “terrorists” then turned to killing protesters, he claimed, adding that some protesters were killed by knife wounds.
Opposition activist groups outside the country say hundreds of protesters have been killed, while Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reported the deaths of at least 28 as of January 3. The Iranian government says that more than 100 security service personnel were killed.
Al Jazeera cannot independently verify these figures.