Leashing the mullahs, Europe and the US granted many concessions to the Iranian regime in the past three decades. This “generosity”, sadly, emboldened this regime to expand its terrorism and violation of human rights and also to deal with its deadly economic and most importantly political crises.

An Iranian terrorist, Ghafour Darjazi, had a key role in the assassination of Dr. Abulrahman Ghasemlo, the Secretary-General of Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran in July 1989. He escaped justice; in a suspicious deal, along with other terrorists, when he was extradited to Iran by Austrian officials. Three years later, again, under the alias Amir-Mansour Bozorgian he participated in the assassination of Mohammadreza Naqdi, the representative of the main Iranian opposition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in Italy; he was the field commander of the assassination scene.

Ghafour Darjazi, also known as Amir-Mansour Bozorgian or Mustafa Moddaber, served the Iranian regime in many positions including executive manager of the Iranian National Security Council, head of the Iranian National TV’s security, and head of Parliament’s security.

After the assassination of the representative of NCRI in Switzerland, Dr. Kazem Rajavi, brother of Massoud Rajavi, the leader of the Iranian resistance,  the west did a dirty deal for the release of the terrorists. That same evening, Akhundzadeh and Hadi Najafabadi, along with a number of other terrorists, returned to Iran on a direct Iran Air flight.

Three years later, on November 14, 1992, the German secret services informed France that two Iranian secret agents had crossed the Strasbourg border into France and that the names of the two were Mahmoud Sajjadian and Ali Kamali. The Swiss wanted them in connection with the killing of an Iranian opposition figure. The two men arrived in France with Iranian passports under the names Ahmad Taheri and Mohsen Sharifi Esfahani on Iranian passports. On November 15, 1992, France arrested the two men. In the last days of 1992 (January 1993), a three-member delegation from the regime went from Tehran to Paris, and after a dirty deal on January 8, the two terrorists were taken to Tehran. On December 29, the French Foreign Ministry sent a note to Switzerland that the two Iranians would not be extradited to Switzerland for the sake of French national interests.

Campaign Coordinator for Change in Iran, Struan Stevenson, in an article in United Press reported on the failure of European policy towards the Iranian regime and the terrorist acts of the regime in Europe and wrote:

The main policy of export and import to Iran was via Intex It can, and will, easily lift US sanctions. But that didn’t work. On June 6, a diplomat from the Iranian regime’s embassy in Vienna in Bavaria was arrested on terrorism charges. Assadullah Assadi is said to have delivered over 500 grams of explosives and a detonator to an Iranian couple from Belgium and ordered them to go to Paris and bomb a large gathering organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran and the MEK. 7,000 people were going to be blown up, including prominent figures such as Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich and Bill Richardson.

All warnings of the MEK about the Iranian regime’s terrorism has turned into bitter reality. If one day the west could turn a blind eye on the mullahs’ terrorism, now it is hard to do so. The Iranian regime has dragged terrorism on the European soil and it is hard to ignore it anymore. The policy of appeasement lost many of its allies and this policy is on the verge of collapse.

Orally, there have been many hollow promises by Europeans; however, on the ground, nothing is tangible for the Iranian regime. Clearly, the balance of power has changed and the Iranian regime does not have the upper hand in any negotiation and cannot take the world hostage by its terrorism anymore.

The Iranian regime did its best to release Asadi, its diplomat- terrorist, and his accomplices, but all its efforts were in vain and they are still in custody; the Belgium prosecutors’ documents are undeniable.

While on the one hand, the policy of appeasement has failed and its days are numbered, and on the other hand, the world would not be blackmailed by the Iranian regime, for the west, betting on a dead horse is not a wise decision.

Staff Writer

In an article entitled, “Embrace of Iran’s Foreign Minister Creates an Opening for Propaganda and Terrorism” (Town Hall, September 6, 2019), former U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain and the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Adam Ereli discussed the recent G7 and Europian effort to facilitate U.S.- Iran dialogue.

“The Iranian regime was a major topic of discussion during the G-7 Summit in Biarritz last month. But neither France nor any other European country should be helping the murderous regime to acquire a larger presence on the international stage. Tehran’s support for terrorism goes beyond the Middle East and threatens both Europe and the U.S.,” wrote Amb. Ereli.

'Embrace of Iran’s Foreign Minister Creates an Opening for Propaganda and Terrorism,' writes Amb. Adam Ereli (@erelija)#MaximumPressure #Terrorism https://t.co/p6L3IYNyGp

— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) September 7, 2019

Referring to the recent terrorist activities of the Iranian regime, particularly, the bombing plot against the great gathering of the Iranian opposition (NCRI) in Paris last year, Amb. Ereli added,

“In the summer of 2018, two Iranian operatives were stopped in Belgium, as they attempted to carry high-explosives to a rally that had been organized outside Paris. Tens of thousands of Iranian expatriates from throughout the world had gathered there for a conference. Many of the hundreds of international dignitaries were prominent figures in politics, security, and academia from France, the US, and dozens of other countries.”

“The plot was neutralized, as were at least five other incidents stretching from Albania to America. The Paris bomb plot led immediately to the arrest of an Iranian diplomat, Assadollah Assadi, who was found to be the mastermind. A French intelligence investigation determined that he had been acting on explicit orders directly from the highest levels of the regime. Moreover, he was using the cover provided by his diplomatic status and Iran’s embassies abroad to disguise the regime’s terrorism.  Germany extradited Assadi to Belgium, where he and three of his agents are now awaiting trial.” Mr. Ereli added

Amb. Ereli argues that Zarif’s invitation to G7 demonstrated the international community’s indifference toward Iranian regime’s terrorism and gave the regime’s globetrotting propagandist an opportunity to put a smiling face on intolerable actions and to whitewash a 40-year history of terrorist financing and human rights violations.

“The French attitude could be an undermining the US imposed sanctions on Zarif and the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)”, he noted.

The former State Department Spokesperson also highlighted the role of Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in exposing the Iranian regime’s terrorism, which, in his words, explains the hostility of Iranian regime towards the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)

“This has always been the position of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its main constituent group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), which explains why the Iranian regime is determined to eliminate this group and its members.  In addition to the attempt to blow up the NCRI’s rally outside Paris and attacks against the MEK’s headquarters in Albania last year, the government of Iran executed an estimated 30,000 MEK political prisoners in the summer of 1988. The fact that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly acknowledged the role of the MEK in organizing the anti-regime protests that rocked all parts of Iran in 2018 is a telling admission of the group’s ability to rattle the regime.”

The solution lies in the hands of the Iranian people and Resistance who seek the overthrow of this dictatorship. #FreeIran #Iran pic.twitter.com/ua278poBSO

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) September 7, 2019

Instead of embracing Zarif, the mouthpiece of the terrorist regime of Iran, the international community must hold him and other terrorist officials of mullahs accountable for their crimes and as Mr. Ereli noted

“If Mr. Zarif must appear at international gatherings, he should be challenged aggressively over his government’s ongoing record of criminal activity. Anything less will encourage Iran to act with increasing impunity, with devastating consequences.”

Staff writer

In an op-ed published on the Euractiv website, former Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi argued that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s trip to Brussels on September 2-3 offers an excellent opportunity to address the global threat posed by the Iranian regime.

#Pompeo’s visit to Brussels is an opportunity for a unified Iran strategy @EURACTIV https://t.co/hm3OnW1456 @GlobalCRL

— Giulio Terzi (@GiulioTerzi) September 3, 2019

Bellicose Behavior

“One of the main challenges is how to deal with the Iranian regime and its bellicose behavior,” wrote Terzi. He cited the regime’s increasing aggression toward commercial shipping vessels in the Middle East, including the seizure of a British-flagged vessel in mid-July.

“The United Kingdom responded appropriately by directing its warships in the region to shadow such vessels for the foreseeable future. But Europe has seemed hesitant to recognize the Iranian threat as extending to them,” Terzi wrote.

“The EU may be able to fool itself into believing that the naval activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been directed only against the US and Britain, even though seized and damaged tankers have born the flags of various countries including Norway and Japan. But no such self-deception can be justified when it comes to the threat of terrorism originating in or backed by Tehran,” he stressed.

Now is the time for EU to speak out and address the regime’s terrorism and cyber attacks in Europe@FedericaMog has not spoken out as voice of Europe against #Iran’s terrorism in Europe in elsewhere.#ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists @GermanyDiplo @focusonline@eu_eeas pic.twitter.com/dX2T5Pdmbe

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) October 8, 2018

The former Italian Foreign Minister explained that at least six terrorist plots and assassinations by the Iranian regime were foiled by Western authorities in 2018. The targets ranged from opposition groups in the United States to the MEK’s headquarters in Albania.

Terrorist Plot on 2018 Free Iran Gathering

The most significant of the regime’s 2018 terrorist plots involved an Iranian-Belgian couple who were arrested with 500 kilograms of TATP explosives. The couple acting under the orders of regime diplomat Assadollah Assadi, were enroute to the annual Free Iran gathering of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Villepinte, France where they planned to set off the explosives.

The Free Iran gathering was attended by 100,000 Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) supporters, as well as hundreds of high-ranking politicians and dignitaries from around the world. Terzi was in attendance.

Regime diplomat Assadollah Assadi was arrested for masterminding the attack and eventually extradited to Belgium, where he and three accomplices are currently awaiting trial. The plot was planned by officials at the highest levels of the regime, wrote Terzi.

“Had the plot been successful, it would have not only taken place on European soil but would have almost certainly claimed European lives. If one is aware of this incident, one cannot deny that the Iranian threat to the international community is genuine, severe, and far-reaching,” Terzi emphasized.

“To be more precise, no one can deny this conclusion in good faith. But that won’t necessarily stop any given policymaker from denying it anyway. In advance of Iran’s Foreign Minister visiting Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly told his security chiefs to keep silent about last year’s terror plot. Now, in the wake of visits to Europe by the top diplomats from both Iran and the US, it is up to the incoming EU leadership to determine whose attitude toward Iran carries more weight: those who are explicitly covering up its crimes, or those who aspire to hold it to account,” he continued.

France Dangles $15 Billion Bailout for Iran in Effort to Save Nuclear Deal https://t.co/tAKaEa93dX @GlobalCRL @HandsOffCain_En

— Giulio Terzi (@GiulioTerzi) September 3, 2019

“The answer to this question will yield both short and long-term consequences. In the first place, it may determine whether the diplomat-terrorist who masterminded last year’s Paris bomb plot is actually punished in accordance with the charges he is now facing in Belgium. And the message of his prosecution may, in turn, set the stage for a proper, multilateral response to further Iranian terrorism, at a time when the regime is threatening Western entities like the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, subjecting them to ‘sanctions’ that might better be understood as fatwas,” Terzi argued.

Continuing attempts by the regime in Iran to intimidate @FDD, an American think tank—a THINK TANK—must be condemned by all freedom-loving people around the world. The U.S. does not take these threats lightly, and will hold the regime and its “apparatuses” to account.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) August 29, 2019

“Speaking more broadly, decisions in the coming days may determine the future of US-EU relations. The Europeans need to recognize the need for confronting Iranian threats and guaranteeing that the regime faces consequences for criminal behavior,” Terzi concluded.

Staff Writer

The Iranian regime poses a threat to global security which cannot be ignored by the international security, writes Ambassador Ken Blackwell in a column published on the Townhall website on September 2nd. In his new column, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission argues that policymakers have not factored in the threat posed by the Iranian regime, citing the multiple foiled terrorist attacks on European soil last year as evidence of the international community’s refusal to take serious action despite serious threats.

The 2018 Free Iran Gathering

Blackwell cited the 2018 Free Iran gathering as his prime example of the regime’s terrorist activities in Europe. The annual gathering of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Villepinte, France attracted 100,000 Mujahedin-e Khalgh(PMOI/ MEK )supporters, along with hundreds of prominent politicians and dignitaries from around the world.

“It also nearly attracted two aspiring bombers, who were fortunately stopped on their way to the gathering on June 30, 2018,” wrote Blackwell. “Shortly thereafter, a senior Iranian “diplomat” named Assadollah Assadi was also arrested and identified as the mastermind of the plot,” he continued.

“The operation leading to these arrests was a testament to European authorities’ awareness of the persistent threat emanating from Tehran. A subsequent investigation by French intelligence left no doubt about the fact that Assadi and his Iranian-Belgian assets were acting upon orders from the highest ranks of the regime,” Blackwell explained.

 

 

Previous Plots

Blackwell pointed out that the Paris plot was not the first attempt by the regime to target the MEK. Three months prior, regime operatives attempted to attack Ashraf-3, the MEK’s headquarters in Albania. At least four other terrorist plots by the regime were uncovered in 2018.

Assadollah Assadi the Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) station chief in Vienna-also the head of MOIS for all Europe-was the mastermind & caught delivering a powerful bomb to two other Iranian agents on the day of June Paris event. Germany expelled Assadi to Belgium to stand trial. pic.twitter.com/ATw4SaYwy5

— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) November 3, 2018

A Limited Response

Blackwell argued that the EU did not take sufficient action in response to the terrorist attempts in 2018. “The EU only saw fit to impose limited sanctions on the Iranian secret service and a handful of its known agents. But even this gesture was ultimately undermined by a broader European strategy that involves the continuation of conciliatory policies for dealing with the regime,” he wrote.

He also noted that Assadi is not the only regime diplomat working as a terrorist operative, writing: “[Assadi’s] arrest prompted a spokesperson for the Belgian police to affirm that almost all Iranian diplomats play a role in the Iranian secret service.”

Blackwell further stated that Iran’s own officials have acknowledged the link between paramilitary and diplomatic entities within the regime. “In a recent interview with Iranian state media, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the Foreign Ministry, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security all pursue the same objectives,” he wrote.

Zarif: Soleimani and I have great cooperation and meet every weekhttps://t.co/zm1tzt5X6S#Iran #IRGC #IRGCTerrorists pic.twitter.com/r9p8NWF3f1

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 3, 2019

Harsher Sanctions

Blackwell emphasized that even the U.S. which has imposed strict sanctions on the Iranian regime should go further. “Comprehensive sanctions on the IRGC were a long time coming, but now they should be extended to also include the entire Ministry of Intelligence and the entire Foreign Ministry, rather than just Mohammad-Javad Zarif, the regime’s foreign minister,” he argued.

“Bombings, assassinations, and hostage-taking are all part of the Iranian regime’s DNA, and no major government institution can be thought of as isolated from the use of terrorism as a form of statecraft. So the only way to fully address the relevant threat is by isolating the regime as a whole, pending a far-reaching change in its behavior or its imminent collapse,” Blackwell continued.

“If the U.S. hasn’t gone far enough toward this goal, then the nations of Europe have even more ground to make up. In the wake of last year’s thwarted terror plots, an appropriate policy would involve dramatically expanding economic sanctions as well as expelling Iranian diplomats. But in the case of France and certain other EU member states, such a strategy cannot realistically be adopted until those nations’ leaders recognize the fact that much of the world is facing persistent danger from the Iranian regime’s undiminished malign activities,” Blackwell concluded.

Staff writer

 

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), delivered a message at the Paris District 1 City Hall on Friday at a conference entitled

“Iran: Massacred Human Rights: 31st anniversary of the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in 1988.”

Mrs. Rajavi’s speech focused on the international community’s failure to hold the regime accountable for its malign actions, including the 1988 Massacre. She argued that this policy of appeasement places the entire world at risk.

Mrs. Rajavi explained that the 1998 Massacre occurred as the result of a fatwa writing by regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini ordering the execution of all prisoners in Iran who remained loyal to the  MEK. Many of those who were executed had already completed their sentences, said Mrs. Rajavi.

Now, what is the solution and what is the proper approach to this regime? #1988Massacre #NoImpunity4Mullahs #InternationalDayoftheDisappeared #Iran https://t.co/FnzTnVG2Ro pic.twitter.com/oHHaBcrUSZ

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) August 30, 2019

“Khomeini’s death decree triggered a wave of killings in prisons across Iran to the extent that virtually no prisoner remained in any of the wards. But this was not enough for Khomeini. He ordered the re-arrest of throngs of PMOI [MEK] supporters who had been previously released from prison. These arrestees were also swiftly executed,” she added.

Thirty-one years later, the people responsible for this crime are among the highest-ranking officials within the regime. Former executioners now hold the positions of Head of the Judiciary and Minister of Justice, said Mrs. Rajavi.

“The regime also continues to refuse giving information on the victims of the 1988 massacre and the families of those massacred are still being persecuted. Despite the passage of 31 years, they still do not know where their loved ones are buried,” she said.

The regime continues to refuse giving information on the victims of the #1988Massacre and the families of those massacred are still being persecuted. Despite passage of 31 years, they still do not know where their loved ones are buried. #NoImpunity4Mullahs #EnforcedDisappearance pic.twitter.com/FGyECEioBc

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) August 30, 2019

Mrs. Rajavi further noted that:

 “Just last month, Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, one of the key members of the Death Commissions carrying out the 1988 massacre, said, “The Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/ MEK) have desecrated the (regime’s) image throughout the world… Now is the time to fight the PMOI… The PMOI/MEK is the most treacherous enemies of this nation and they must be dealt with one by one.”

Active Pursuit of Massacre

Mrs. Rajavi said that the mullahs’ fear of being overthrown has driven their active pursuit of manslaughter and massacre. She pointed to last year’s foiled bombing attack of the annual Free Iran gathering in Villepinte, France, which led to the arrest of an Iranian regime diplomat and four mercenaries. They are all currently awaiting trial in Belgium.

“This incident proved that the regime is still pursuing Khomeini’s evil intentions and the policy of massacring their opponents,” she said.

“On the international level, this policy amounts to meddling in the region, warmongering, massacre of the people of Syria, attacks on oil tankers, jeopardizing the safety of international waters, terrorism, and hostage-taking,” Mrs. Rajavi added.

The Solution

Mrs. Rajavi said that the Iranian regime must be dealt with by the Iranian people who seek to overthrow the dictatorship.

“The international community will also have to recognize the desire of the Iranian people and Resistance if they want to get rid of the epicenter of fundamentalism and terrorism in the world. They must not grant concessions to the mullahs,” she emphasized.

“These relations are not only morally reprehensible but are politically wrong because they encourage and embolden the mullahs in blackmailing, hostage-taking and terrorism. Then, in return for massive concessions granted by the West, they take only one step back. In this way, European governments are not only hurting themselves but are putting global peace and security at risk,” she explained.

Mrs. Rajavi stressed that the international community must investigate the 1988 Massacre as part of ending the policy of appeasement. She cited a December 2018 report about the 1988 Massacre by Amnesty International, which stated: “Iran is facing a crisis of impunity… The succession of atrocities in Iran is intractably linked to the impunity that has been enjoyed by the Iranian authorities.”

“The time has come for the international community to end three decades of impunity for the clerical regime’s leaders in accounting for their crimes,” said Mrs. Rajavi.

She urged the international community to demand that the dossier of human rights violation in Iran, particularly the 1988 Massacre, be referred to the U.N. Security Council. She further asked the U.N. to launch an international mission to investigate the 1988 Massacre.

“Khamenei and other leaders of the Iranian regime must face justice for committing crimes against humanity,” Mrs. Rajavi said.

“And the world must recognize the Iranian people’s right to resist and fight for the overthrow of the ruling religious fascism,” she added.

Staff writer

The visits of Iranian regime Foreign Minister Zarif to France and Nordic countries triggered a crisis in the regime.

On his visit to Sweden, reacting to protests by the MEK supporters against his presence in Sweden, Zarif revealed his terrorist nature and said: “Ask any of those individuals standing outside to attend any meetings with Iranians (meaning the regime’s Revolutionary Guards and agents) and then see whether they would survive. They would not stay alive for a minute…. They cannot even stay in Iraq because the people of Iraq (meaning the regime’s proxies in that country) will eat them alive.”

#Zarif, the FM of the religious dictatorship ruling #Iran, If regime agents capture dissidents, they will eat them alive and not let them live for a minute.#ban_Zarif #ZarifIsALiar pic.twitter.com/NQnaca49eq@CdnPress #Cdnpoli .@CanadaFP .@StateDept .@VOAIran#NoImpunity4Mullahs

— Iran Democratic Association (IDA) Canada 🇨🇦 (@IDA_Canada) August 23, 2019

Struan Stevenson, coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change, and former member of the European Parliament in an article in UPI titled “Iran’s foreign minister should be banned from Europe” clarifies how Zarif and the ministry he represents is involved in terrorist activities in Europe.

“As foreign minister, Zarif is in charge of Iran’s army of ambassadors and diplomatic staff. In June 2018, he was therefore responsible for the orders given to Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat from the Iranian Embassy in Vienna. Assadi was instructed to hand over 500 gm of high explosives and a detonator to an Iranian couple from Antwerp, Belgium. He ordered them to drive to Paris and detonate the bomb at a major rally organized by the National Council for Resistance in Iran attended by over 100,000 people.”

Writes Stevenson referring to the terrorist plot against the annual gathering of the Iranian resistance. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian resistance, Rudy Giuliani and other high-ranking international political leaders participated in the gathering.

The article describes how Zarif flew to Vienna the day following the plot:

  “Zarif had even arranged to fly to Vienna, the day following the proposed bombing outrage, presumably to congratulate Assadi personally and to spread the usual lies and propaganda, no doubt blaming the Mojahedin e-Khalq/People’s Mojahedin of Iran (MEK/PMOI), the main opposition to the mullahs, for planning the attack on their own supporters so that they could point the finger of blame at the Iranian regime.”

The article continues to enlighten how the regime’s so-called diplomats in Albania were involved in terrorist activities against the MEK:

“Ironically, the senior diplomat whom Assadi had replaced in the Vienna Embassy was Mostafa Roodaki, another trained MOIS agent. He had previously been the head of the Iranian regime’s intelligence station in Austria and had been coordinating activities against the MEK across the whole of Europe. Roodaki had been redeployed to Albania by Zarif, with the rank of the first secretary in the Iranian Embassy in Tirana. He was joined there by a new ambassador appointed by Zarif, Gholam Hossein Mohammadnia, a former high-ranking Iranian intelligence official who had also been a member of the Iranian nuclear negotiating team.

Zarif had clearly instructed his new team of “diplomats” in Albania that their main mandate was to track down and eliminate the MEK, which had created a new compound in the country housing over 2,500 of their members.

But once again Zarif’s plans were thwarted. Albanian intelligence officers uncovered a plot to detonate a bomb at a Nowruz (Iranian New Year) gathering of MEK members in Tirana. Two MOIS agents, together with Mohammadnia and his Roodaki, were expelled from the country by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. ”

https://twitter.com/Mojahedineng/status/1160126659502063616

The writer mentions other terror plots that bear the fingerprints of Zarif’s diplomat-terrorists and concludes the article by writing:

“With this catalog of assassinations and bomb plots involving Iranian diplomatic personnel under the leadership and guidance of Zarif, it is not surprising that the United States has decided to label him a terrorist. Yet the West continues to believe that his mastery of English and his benign smile mean that he must be a trustworthy moderate with whom we can negotiate. It may be worth remembering that Adolf Hitler’s foreign minister, Joachim Von Ribbentrop, was also a fluent English speaker and could also smile benignly for the cameras. He was executed as a war criminal on Oct. 16, 1946.”

Staff writer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trip by the Iranian regime’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to Nordic countries raised a series of concerns and questions about western policy toward the religious dictatorship ruling Iran. Rallies in Finland, Sweden, and Norway by the Iranian diaspora against Zarif, drew public attention to violations of human rights in Iran. Many politicians and human rights activists in these countries expressed their concerns about their own governments’ foreign policies. They are asking why should their governments embrace Zarif and lend legitimacy to a government that is on the verge of collapse. Why should they welcome the mouth-piece of tyrants in Iran by turning their backs on the Iranian people, and trampling on their own values and principals at a time that Tehran faces growing signs of dissent, particularly among youth, and when Iran’s economy is falling apart and its international isolation is growing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Zarif is no stranger to crimes against humanity. He was active as a senior career diplomat in the UN in 1988 while his gov butchered over 30k pol prisoners, members & supporters of the #MEK," writes Lars Rise, former member of Norwegian Parliament. #Iranhttps://t.co/uHM7o3PZdS

— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) August 23, 2019

Lars Rise, a prominent Norwegian politician and President of the Norwegian committee of Friends of a Free Iran in an article, Hold Zarif Accountable for Iran’s Human Rights Violations, on 22 Aug 2019, asked:

“Does believing in diplomacy and not being a proponent of war oblige one to deal with tyrants or embrace their facilitators and enablers? Of course, any conscientious person would say no. So why do Norwegian officials feel obliged to roll out the red carpet for Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, during his Scandinavian tour?”

Describing the nature of the Iranian regime and the true face of Zarif, Mr. Rise adds:

“The Iranian theocracy is based on the concept of Velayat-e faqih, or absolute rule of the supreme leader. Every official is vetted for allegiance to him, and Ali Khamenei himself hand picks a number of ministers, including the foreign minister. So it is unsurprising that Zarif has been complicit for years in the Iranian regime’s malign activities. He has not only been the face and voice of the ayatollahs’ rule, he has personally worked to implement Khamenei’s reckless agenda and to justify and whitewash Tehran’s crimes at home and abroad. In reality, he is more of a propaganda minister than a foreign minister.”

Zarif sitting next to the regime’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Recently the US treasury department sanctioned Zarif, for being a mouthpiece for Khamenei and for advancing his terrorist and malign policies around the world.

https://twitter.com/DowlatNowrouzi/status/1163542080649646081

The writer then reveals Zarif’s records and says:

“Zarif is no stranger to crimes against humanity. He was active as a senior career diplomat in the United Nations in 1988 while his government butchered over 30,000 political prisoners, members and supporters of the Mojahedin-e Khalq, the main opposition movement in Iran.”

Assadollah Asadi, the terrorist diplomat of Zarif’s foreign ministry, who plotted the Paris bombing

“A diplomat from the Iranian embassy in Vienna has been charged with a plot to bomb a MEK rally in Paris in June 2018 and is awaiting trial in Belgium. The ambassador and first secretary from the Iranian embassy in Albania were expelled from that country last December on similar charges. Zarif is ultimately their boss.”

https://twitter.com/Amotevalli/status/1164456315663650816

Mr. Rise then talks about Zarif’s hypocrisy:

 “An appeasement policy was pursued on both sides of the Atlantic for three decades. But that policy is coming to an end, and the Iranian regime can no longer count on the U.S. to be its lifesaver.”

At the end the writer concludes:

“Nobody wants a war with Iran, but the best way to prevent war is to reject Tehran’s egregious conduct wholesale. By rejecting Zarif’s visit and holding him to account, Norway would be taking an ethical and principled position while sending a message of support to the Iranian people who are crying out for freedom.”

 

Staff writer

The Belga news agency recently reported that a Belgian court issued a ruling in the case against the four Iranian agents who are currently standing trial for their involvement in the foiled terrorist plot against the annual gathering of the Iranian opposition in Paris last summer. The accused terrorists will now face additional prison time for their roles in the terrorist plot against the MEK The principal Iranian opposition.

The ruling was issued by the First Branch of the Criminal Court in Antwerp and emphasizes that Assadollah Assadi and the three other Iranian agents who are standing trial were all complicit in the attempted terrorist attack on the gathering of the MEK and Iranian Resistance.

Foiled Terrorist Attack on MEK and Iranian Resistance

Assadi is currently standing trial for masterminding the attempted attack outside of Paris last June. Assadi was one of the senior Iranian regime diplomats stationed at the Iranian embassy in Vienna, Austria. He was also a known agent of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and has used his position as a diplomat to conduct espionage and terrorist activities on behalf of the Iranian regime since 2014.

Assadollah Assadi since 2014 has been head of all intelligence stations of the MOIS in #Europe . Given the sensitivity of the operation, he was instructed to be personally engaged in the execution of the plan.#ProsecuteAssadi #ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists #Iran pic.twitter.com/0yVCvBwBgk

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 12, 2018

On June 30th, 2018, an Iranian couple was arrested in Brussels with 500 grams of TATP explosives in their possession. The couple, Amir Sadouni and Nasimeh Nomani, was en route to the Free Iran gathering in Villepinte, France, and claimed to be MEK supporter. Upon their arrest, the couple admitted that they were planning to deliver a bomb to the gathering and said that the explosives were personally handed to them by Assadollah Assadi. Video surveillance confirmed their story, and Assadi was arrested later that day, along with a fourth accomplice, who was waiting outside of the gathering in Villepinte.

In October, French authorities concluded that the Iranian regime was responsible for orchestrating the foiled attack and froze the assets of two Iranian regime security agents associated with the incident.

The Free Iran Gathering

 

The Iranian opposition’s annual gathering attracts tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of politicians, dignitaries, and world leaders every year. Last year’s event, entitled “Free Iran: the Alternative” was attended by dignitaries from the U.S., Europe and Middle East, including President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Maryam Rajavi, advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani, former U.S. Congressman Newt Gingrich, former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, former Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird, and dozens more. Several of the American and European politicians who spoke at the gathering later filed lawsuits against the Iranian regime for attempted murder.

A Terrorist Regime

The foiled attack in France last June was one of several attempted terrorist attacks against the MEK perpetrated by the regime last year. In 2018, the Iranian regime and its agents were implicated in terrorist activities and plots against the MEK in Albania, France, the United States, and Denmark.

MEP Describes Visit to MEK’s Residence -Ashraf 3

Earlier this month, the European Union imposed sanctions on the MOIS and two of its agents because of their involvement in terrorist activities.

Staff Writer

 

An article in International Policy Digest by Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan charts the Iranian regime’s increasing fears of the main opposition group the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK / Mujahedin-e Khalgh) and demonstrates that this increasing fear is a sign of changing times in the Iranian political landscape.

The Status Quo has Become ‘Untenable’

Professor Sheehan, the incoming Executive Director at the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore, wrote:

“There are growing signs that the status quo has become untenable”, in response to renewed US sanctions, continuous protests at home, a failing economy, and increasing international isolation, “the regime is finding it much more difficult to contain the situation”.

“The most defining aspect of Iran in 2018 has been the continuation of anti-government protests”, Sheehan suggests. Ahead of 2018, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)’s president-elect, Maryam Rajavi called for a year of protest and it has not disappointed.

The nationwide uprisings of January engulfed Iran’s cities and towns, expanding to more than 140 cities in all 31 provinces. According to Sheehan, it “shook the ruling theocracy to the core”. Confronted with such intense public outcry, the regime arrested political dissidents in the thousands, sentencing many to extreme punishments and lengthy jail terms.

The Iranian Regime Sentences Six to Between 8 and 18 Years in Prison for Protesting

“That movement has continued in different shapes and forms over the past 11 months”, Sheehan writes, “despite a heavy crackdown, waves of arrests, and long prison terms for protesters.”

Key Iranian industries have suffered been racked with strikes, including the logistics sector, education, the retail industry, and manufacturing. Many sectors were protesting appalling working conditions, unpaid wages, and the pandemic corruption that ravages the Iranian business and political landscape.

Anti-government Protests

Beyond poor working conditions and unpaid wages, the protests that have rippled across Iran in 2018 have taken a decidedly anti-government tone.

“In July, a five-day wave of anti-government protests proved to be the largest since January and encompassed more than a dozen cities throughout the country”, wrote Sheehan.

Similar anti-government took place across Iran’s major cities in June and August. “What makes recent and ongoing protests different from earlier movements”, Sheehan explained, “is that they are not limited to one part of the country or to any specific demographics.

What began as a grassroots movement among the “hungry and unemployed”, has spread to the urban middle classes, the working-class factory workers, college-educated students, inner-city shopkeepers, and younger segments of the population.

Iran: Steel Workers, Factory Workers, Drivers Strike Despite Regime Suppression

Sheehan writes, “at first, the protests were over dire economic hardship, exorbitant prices of basic staples, high unemployment, runaway inflation and the lack of some of the most basic social services including running water and electricity. But protests quickly became political with people calling for an end to dictatorship”.

Among the protestors demands now are an end to the financing of foreign terrorism, missile proliferation, and the frequent and blatant human rights abuses. The protestors are calling for more civil freedom, an end to institutionalized discrimination and sexism, and the eradication of regime corruption.

What began as an economic protest movement evolved into a defiantly anti-regime movement.

The Iranian Economy is in Free-fall

“The Iranian economy is in free-fall and is getting more precarious”, Sheehan writes. “The national currency, the rial, has lost about 75 percent of its value in the past seven to eight months”.

What makes the current economic crisis worse is that it has come at a time when the Iranian regime was still exporting 2.7 million barrels of oil a day and received $100 billion of unfrozen assets.

For the country to be in economic collapse despite this significant windfall and oil revenue demonstrates extensive economic mismanagement and pandemic corruption.

“The main cause of the economic collapse is the regime’s policies”, Sheehan explains, “the lion’s share of the government budget is allocated to the apparatus of domestic oppression and to financing terror and warmongering abroad”. Sheehan cites payments of around $12 to $15 billion annually to the Assad regime in Syria.

Dec 12 – Ahvaz, SW #Iran
National Steel Group employees rallying for the 33rd day outside the Khuzestan governor's office, protesting delayed paychecks & corrupt policies.
They chanting"
"Neither threats, nor prison are useful anymore"; #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/FfKOp7sxUI

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) December 12, 2018

Corruption and economic mismanagement were even explicitly mentioned by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in his speech on August 13^th. He referred to the plunder of $18 billion as an example of some of the embezzlement and corruption that plagues his regime.

But Khamenei is nothing more than a hypocrite. In public, he may lament the state of the Iranian economy, but the Supreme Leader has a personal slush fund worth $95 billion according to Reuters.

Sanctions Will be Effective

Given that the Iranian economy is under the control of 14 financial holdings, all of which are managed by the Supreme Leader and the regime itself, US and international economic sanctions will be able to end the stream of revenue flowing directly into the mullahs’ pockets and impact their ability to funnel finances to international terrorists and militia groups.

“This is one of the greatest sources of anxiety for Tehran”, Sheehan writes. Under President Trump, the US has ended its decades-long strategy of appeasement. Trump and Pompeo have indicated that they will use sanctions to stop Iran’s state-sponsored terrorism and human rights abuses.

The State Department has reintroduced strict economic sanctions on the Iranian auto-industry, financial institutions, and energy sector. The US has vowed to bring further sanctions to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero.

“The regime has been at a total impasse”, Sheehan writes, “since retreating from its strategic policies would mean major reform”— which Khamenei is adamant he will not do.

As Khamenei and Rouhani continue to dig their heels, the public has only grown louder in its demands for political reform and regime change. “The protests have been a game changer in the Iranian political landscape”, Sheehan exclaimed.

The Regime has Intensified Efforts Against the Opposition

In response to the impasse Tehran finds itself in, the regime has targeted the MEK and other Iranian political opposition groups. “The MEK’s modern, tolerant and democratic view on Islam has been the antithesis to the Islamic fundamentalism” presented by the mullahs.

Iran State Media Acknowledges MEK Can Topple Regime

“The ayatollahs were bent on annihilating it as a social and political force before they even took power”, Sheehan writes. Following their rise to power, the mullahs unleashed an “unbridled terror” campaign against the MEK and their supporters.

“Tens of thousands of MEK activists, men, and women, have fallen victim to brutal crackdowns. In the summer of 1988 alone… some 30,000 political prisoners— primarily MEK activists— were massacred”, Sheehan describes.

Today, the support and influence of the MEK are evident across Iran. The group has exposed some of the mullahs’ most secretive and nefarious activities, including their secret nuclear program.

Amnesty International Holds Press Conference Following its Landmark Report on 1988 Massacre

The MEK’s network of experts and underground sources has led to the exposure of over 100 “clandestine nuclear projects in Iran”, Sheehan claims. The MEK’s network has also played a crucial role in exposing the mullahs’ routine and frequent human rights abuses.

A Coordinated Campaign of Oppression

In response to the MEK’s surging power and influence, Tehran demanded international governments suppress the MEK as a precursor for good relations with Tehran. “Tehran demanded that Western powers blacklist the MEK”, Sheehan explains.

 

The MEK went on to challenge these blacklistings in international courts and were eventually delisted after courts ruled there was not even a shred of evidence connecting the group with terrorism.

“Interestingly, an impressive group of mostly senior former officials who held key national security posts in four US administrations filed an amicus brief in support of the MEK’s petition”, Sheehan writes.

“In the international arena, the MEK gained enormous respect among American and European politicians”, Sheehan continues, “a number of MEK allies hold prominent positions in the Trump administration, while the MEK itself enjoys solid bipartisan support in the US Congress”.

In 2016, following a particularly violent and aggressive persecution of the MEK in Iraq from the Iranian regime, several thousand MEK members were safely transferred to Albania. Following the outbreak of MEK-organised and endorsed protests in Iran in December 2017 and January 2018, the regime has targeted these members living in Albania.

Giuliani Issues Statement in Wake of Failed Terrorist Attack on NCRI Gathering

Tehran intensified its terrorist activities in Europe and the US. On June 30^th, Belgian law enforcement authorities foiled a state-sponsored Iranian terrorist plot against the MEK’s annual Grand Gathering event.

A Belgian-Iranian couple was arrested traveling to the event with 500g of explosive matter. Their intention was to detonate the device at the event, which was attended by delegations of high-profile politicians and journalists from around the world.

President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, was the keynote speaker at the event and had traveled to Paris from Albania to be there.

The MEK’s investigation found that the Iranian embassy in Austria orchestrated the attack. The diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was later arrested in Germany near the Austrian border, provided the couple with the explosive material and was the mastermind behind the operation.

German prosecutors later confirmed that Assadi was a member of the Iranian intelligence agency (MOIS) and was acting under the supervision of senior members of the Iranian regime.

Following the clear violation of international law and deliberate plotting of a terrorist attack on European soil, the French government froze MOIS assets and expelled Iranian diplomats from Paris.

There were other plots coordinated against the MEK. “In March… an attack was foiled that would have targeted a gathering of MEK members in Tirana, the capital of Albania, for the Iranian New Year celebration”, Sheehan writes.

A car bomb was to be used. Two Iranians who had arrived in the country under the guise of journalists were arrested over their involvement in the attack’s planning and coordination.

The @StateDept official dismissed the misinformation campaign initiated by #Iran-ian regime's FM, #Zarif, to put the blame on the victim(the #MEK) for the foiled terrorist attack on #FreeIran2018 rally in Paris. #ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists pic.twitter.com/QPzdMRTRgx

— Ka Veh (@kaveh20092009) July 11, 2018

Similarly, in August, the US Justice Department announced it had detained two Iranian agents suspected of collecting information on the MEK ahead of a possible terror attack.

Once more, in October, Danish authorities arrested an assassin working for the MOIS. The Iranian government had planned to kill a dissident on Danish soil, but the plan was thwarted before it could be executed.

Each plan followed the same objectives; to attack and cause significant loss of life to the MEK and the Iranian opposition.

The Battle for Public Minds

Alongside the aggressive terror campaign against the MEK, Tehran organized a demonization campaign designed to vilify the MEK in the eyes of the public. Sheehan explains, “the objective has been to show that no democratic alternative is available and that dealing with this regime or looking for change within it is the only option for the West”.

The regime uses social media, state-run news outlets, and payments to international journalists to discredit the MEK. In one case, a regime-affiliated individual offered the head of the Mackenzie Institute $80,000 to publish a hit piece against the MEK.

NCRI Report Shows the Iranian Regime Used Channel 4 to Further its Objectives and Sway Public Opinion

One-sided stories against the MEK have gradually seeped into international media outlets’ reporting. The Guardian, MSNBC, Channel 4 News, Al Jazeera, and the Independent have all echoed regime talking points in their coverage and published regime-fed lies about the MEK and the Iranian opposition.

The Committee of Anglo-Iranian Lawyers Issue a Statement on the Guardian’s MEK Hit Piece

“The same individuals are quoted in each of the articles and questionable evidence that demonstrates a clearly pro-regime bias is used to source the so-called facts”, Sheehan writes. Many of the articles glaze over or completely ignore the Iranian regime’s state-sponsored terror activities or deplorable human rights record.

“For anyone who has followed Iranian affairs, it is evident that the content of the pieces are almost identical to the allegations and smears that Tehran has been making against the MEK for years”, Sheehan explained.

The regime also relies on its social media capabilities to spread misinformation about the MEK. Twitter recently detected 770 regime-affiliated accounts, many of which were posing as foreign citizens or international journalists to deliberately influence public opinion. The accounts had published more than 1.1 million Tweets promoting regime talking points, slandering the MEK, and even attempting to influence the US elections.

MSNBC’s MEK Coverage Lacks Accuracy and Objectivity

Sheehan predicts that the regime will only intensify its efforts to persecute and attack the MEK in the near future. “Tehran is likely to respond to the challenge by growing even more focused on the MEK. This means more repression at home and terror plots abroad”, he writes.

Sheehan argues that it is the responsibility of the international community to give voice to the Iranian people and lend their moral support to the anti-regime protestors and the MEK. With this support, Sheehan supposes that 2018 could come full circle. “2018 may well end as it began: With Tehran’s theocratic rulers consumed with an existential revolt and brave anti-government demonstrators insisting on democracy in the streets”.

Staff Writer

 

 

 

 

On Friday, November 23rd, members of the Iranian diaspora, supporters of the Iranian resistance and allies and sympathizers to the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK) gathered in Copenhagen to call for a stern response to Iranian aggression.

A Terrorist Machine

The protest was prompted after 2018 saw a surge in Iranian aggression across Europe. In early 2018, during the Persian New Year celebrations, Albanian authorities foiled a plot to attack the MEK members living in exile.

Then, in late June, another plot was foiled. An Iranian diplomat working at the Iranian embassy in Austria provided a Belgian-Iranian couple with an explosive device, along with detailed instructions of where to detonate the car bomb. Its target was the MEK’s annual Grand Gathering event, where more than 100,000 supporters of the Iranian opposition had gathered in Paris.

Following an investigation by French authorities and the MEK, it was concluded that senior members of the regime leadership had been personally involved in the planning and execution of the foiled Paris attack.

Iranian Embassies: A Tumour in the Heart of Europe

The regime’s nefarious and dangerous plots were not restricted to European soil. Shortly after the unraveling of the Paris attack, the United States government detained two regime agents on espionage charges.

The men had been gathering intelligence against the MEK in the US. It is likely that the pair were involved in reconnaissance work ahead of a planned terror attack on the MEK.

Europeans are Calling for Action

At the protest in Denmark, protestors braved the Scandinavian cold and held placards reading, “we want regime change in Iran!” Others carried images of the MEK’s leader, president-elect Maryam Rajavi.

The supporters of the #Iranprotests & #NCRI gathering in front of Copenhagen Municipality building against executions in Iran & demanding 4 adequate measures against #Iran state sponsor terrorism. #ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists#BlackListMOIS@GermanyDiplo@anderssamuelsen@USUN pic.twitter.com/ARpZA4BbxW

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) November 23, 2018

The protests mirrored many of those seen across Iran in recent months. The most recent of which has seen the workers at Haft Tappeh sugarcane factory go on strike and call for the toppling of Rouhani and Khamenei’s evil regime.

The protestors also urged the EU and Western governments to coordinate a coherent and united response to Iranian terrorism. The protestors called on the EU to include the Iranian regime in its terrorist blacklist.

This sentiment has been echoed by many prominent European politicians in recent weeks. On Monday, 150 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) signed a document calling for the expulsion of regime intelligence agents from embassies on European soil.

Former Italian Foreign Minister, Giulio Terzi, has also publicly advocated a policy of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.

#ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists is a MUST for EU Member States and for all Governments truthfully engaged in fighting terrorists and their supporters @GlobalCRL @HandsOffCain_It https://t.co/zLjInn2HXe

— Giulio Terzi (@GiulioTerzi) November 24, 2018

Those Responsible Must Be Held to Account

Among the pleas of the protestors in Copenhagen was the need for all those accused of state-sponsored terrorism to face trial in Europe.

Assadollah Assadi, the regime diplomat who orchestrated the Paris plot, was extradited to Belgium to face trial. However, his defense lawyers argued the move was illegal. They suggested that his diplomatic status, granted to him under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, meant he could not stand trial for his crimes.

The people of Europe evidently understand the need for a coordinated and firm response. Without it, it is their lives the European heads of state are putting at risk. Should the Iranian regime succeed in executing a terror attack in the heart of Europe, the casualties will be numerous, with many European citizens caught up in the collateral damage of the regime’s war with the MEK.

Staff Writer