President Hassan Rouhani of Iran visited Paris this past week, and during his high profile events and meetings he was also greeted by protestors. (NOTE: The video above from AJ+ includes images that may not be suitable for younger audiences.)

Before we get to the protest, let's talk about the overall visit. President Rouhani was in Paris for diplomacy and business. He met with French President Francois Hollande to finalize a multi-billion dollar purchase of passenger jets, among other things. 

This was an important symbolic meeting. Iran had been isolated for years through a series of international sanctions that mostly hurt everyday people. Most of those sanctions have been lifted afer a deal with Iran that prevented the nation from developing nuclear weapons. 

So the visit to Paris suggests a thawing of relationships that could lead to cultural exchange and, perhaps, a more progressive Iran. Don't hold your breath, though--Iran has a long way to go before it can be considered progressive. And many people are tired of waiting. 

In fact, its abysmal human rights record drew the ire of activists across France.  

One women's rights group Femen, known for its provocative protests, wasn't going to let the meeting's ommission of human rights go by unnoticed. So the group staged a mock execution. A woman with the Iranian flag painted on her topless body dangled from a bridge with a mock noose around her neck (Note: she was never in any real danger). 

The act was a profound rebuke to Iran. 

Each year, the country executes hundreds of "dissidents." The term, in this sense, means a free thinker who in some way goes against the country's strict interpretation of Islamic law--someone who thinks women should have equal rights, for instance. 

This sometimes includes women who are raped and then accused of being impure.

Journalists who expose corruption and hypocrisy are also routinely hounded and imprisoned. 

Recently, a US journalist for the Washington Post was released from an Iranian prison after being held for 544 days on fabricated grounds. Jason Rezaian merely described what was going on in the country, but this was evidently too threatening, and so he was detained indefinitely. 

The Femen mock execution raises an extremely difficult question: Should a country that routinely abuses its citizens be engaged internationally in the hope that engagement will earn its people more freedom? Or should it be isolated until it reforms through desperation?

Fortunately, it's not either, or. There is a middle ground. 

An oppressive nation can be engaged while pressure to end human rights abuses is applied. The mere act of engagement by a nation suggests an openness to change.

Femen believes that not enough was done by France to pressure Iran. This may be true and the group's message is essential--Iran has to be held accountable. 

But any meeting that Iran holds abroad is a step towards more opennes and human rights. The leaders of Iran are often at total odds with the people of Iran, many of whom want to live in a progressive society. 

Conducting business abroad is a sign that the government is listening to the wishes of the people. And that is a good place to start.