The main message of the rally’s participants and speakers was that the Iranian people and their resistance movement are determined to overthrow the mullah’s regime and will not return to the Shah dictatorship.

More than 10,000 freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered in Paris on February 12 to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the 1979 revolution and to support Iran’s ongoing uprisings.The rally, held in Place Denfert Rochereau, featured speeches by Iranian Resistance figures, supporters, and politicians from around the world.

Speaking at the rally, Iranian opposition President-elect Maryam Rajavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said, “We find ourselves in the midst of a new democratic revolution, where our people strive for a democratic republic free from torture, violence, oppression, and dependency. Let us remember that dictatorship, whether veiled in a turban or crowned in a crown, is still a dictatorship.”

“The people of Iran have a fundamental right to reclaim their country from the shackles of religious fascism, and the valiant youth have the right to defend themselves against the IRGC, covert agents, and the barrage of bullets that pierce their eyes, heads, and hearts. The international community must officially recognize these rights for the Iranian people.”

“We commemorate the anniversary of the downfall of the Shah dictatorship, a bloody and corrupt dictatorship,” Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt said. This was a democratic revolution that Khomeini, who replaced the Shah, stole. He used Shah’s repression of the opposition to seize power. The opposition is back on the streets today. Protesters yell, ‘Death to the dictator, whether it’s the Shah or the mullahs!’

Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the era of granting concessions to mullahs has come to an end. “This is not the time to cultivate positive relationships with a regime that commits atrocities through executions and massacres. Instead, sincere apologies must be extended to the Iranian people for past support of religious tyranny.

Belgian MEP and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt also emphasized the importance of a firm policy, asking, “Why are we still negotiating with Iran? Why do you think we can reach a long-term agreement with this untrustworthy interlocutor? If we reach a nuclear agreement with a regime that murders its citizens, we will be giving the regime permission to continue its crimes.”

“The goal of the 1979 revolution was to overthrow Shah’s dictatorship and install freedom and democracy,” said Zinat Mirhashemi, a member of the NCRI and the Central Committee of the Cherik-Hay-E Fedaii Organization (OIPFG).

“We will not forgive or forget. All the people who were tortured and killed by the mullahs and Shah’s regime must not be forgotten. The crimes of the mullahs’ regime must not make us forget the crimes of Shah’s regime.”

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTub