The Hill TV interviewed former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield about the MEK as part of its series on Iran this May. In his interview, Ambassador Bloomfield addressed propaganda concerning the MEK and discussed Iran’s future.

Highlights from the interview included:

Interviewer: What are the most serious of the Iranian opposition groups? Is the MEK the strongest one in opposing the Iranian regime?

Bloomfield: I can’t speak for the 80 million people in Iran, and neither can anyone else because if you say anything favorable about the MEK or the National Council of Resistance of Iran, you could face imprisonment, amputation, execution, or if the religious judge likes you, exile…They are very well organized. They are very competent. And what people don’t realize is it’s a women-led organization, almost at every level.

For those who want to know the type of support #MEK has in #Iran, this is the 4th mass demonstration after #FreeIran rally in #Brussels,#Washington D.C.&#Berlin voicing the #IranProtests &calling 4 #IranRegimeChange #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/ylFdyJkmMa

— Ka Veh (@kaveh20092009) July 23, 2019

Interviewer: Congressman Brad Sherman recognized the critical role the MEK played in revealing Iran’s nuclear weapons program in 2002. What can you tell us about that?

Bloomfield: President Bush also acknowledged that an opposition group had come up with this information. There were certain sites that were unknown until they revealed by the opposition. This is when the U.S. and the European Union were negotiating with Iran on their nuclear program…When it turned out the Iranians were dealing in bad faith, something that President Rouhani bragged about, later on, that’s when the U.N. put very strict sanctions on Iran in 2009.

Interviewer: What can you tell us about the reality of the terrorism accusations against the MEK and have they ever been listed as a terrorist group?

Bloomfield: They’ve been listed as a terrorist group, from 1996 to 2012, and the story that needs to be told is that they have never been terrorists. There have been four major court cases, including in the U.S., that led Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take them off the list because they couldn’t come up with any credible evidence that they had been terrorists…Not one member of this group in 54 years has ever been prosecuted as a terrorist by a country ruled by the rule of law under due process.

Interviewer: There are also critics of the MEK who say that it operates like a cult. What are they referring to?

Bloomfield: They are referring to the intense loyalty that the supporters have for each other. They have a level of trust which spooks some people. But if you realize that tens of thousands of their relatives have been jailed, tortured, and murdered over the years…all of these survivors stick together, and they probably don’t trust anyone else…They are basically being chased…They are not a cult.

Interviewer: How effective and how widespread are the Iranian regime’s anti-MEK propaganda efforts?

Bloomfield: They’ve been extremely effective… They’ve repeated things so often that people in Washington have come to believe it…If I were a correspondent and wanted a visa to Tehran and wanted to come back in one piece and wanted an interview with Foreign Minister Zarif, I would never say a word about this group. The minute you say something about the MEK or NCRI that’s real, you’re never going to Iran again, you’re never getting another interview.

Stevenson describes the ways in which the Iranian regime has stepped up its campaign of disinformation against the #MEK (#PMOI) since the massive uprising in #Iran beginning in December of last year. https://t.co/8NLlO8aVou

— MEKIran (@MEK_Iran) May 2, 2018

Interviewer: You have been working on Mideast issues and national security issues for a long time. What should the United States’ approach be going forward with the MEK be?

Bloomfield: My points have nothing to do with military confrontation. I think that would unite the Iranian people behind their own government. I think that’s a natural reaction. I think what we really should be doing is showing what the people in this regime have been guilty of…I would put war crimes dossiers together, and I would take senior leaders of the Iranian regime to The Hague and prosecute them for war crimes. To get that information, someone needs to talk to the NCRI.

Staff writer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former New York City Mayor and longtime friend of the Iranian Resistance Rudolph Guliani attended the Free Iran Conference at Ashraf 3, the MEK’s headquarters in Albania, last weekend. He was one of the dozens of prominent politicians, lawyers, lawmakers, human rights activists, and members of the Iranian Resistance who delivered speeches at the five-day event, which included panels, exhibitions, and a tour of Ashraf 3.

Giuliani was one of the featured speakers at Saturday’s event. In his speech, he condemned the Iranian regime and called for the international community to support the MEK in their fight for freedom.

Former NY Mayor @RudyGiuliani responds to lobbyists for Iran's regime: The MEK is committed to freedom and democracy in Iran. We should support them to bring regime change in their country.#IStandWithMaryamRajavi #FreeIran #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/LbTv9X2Z7K

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 13, 2019

Giuliani directly accused the regime “and all of their sycophants and followers” of murder. Not just murder, mass murder, crimes against humanity.”

He then offered a three-part proposal to the MEK to guide the Iranian people to freedom. “Number one, we have to get the governments of Europe to stand up, to wake up, to reclaim their dignity and their honor,” he said.

“The people who slaughtered 30,000 people in 1988 should be identified, they should be prosecuted, and they should either be imprisoned for life or executed,” Giuliani added.

“I am so proud of my government because we have stood up. We looked at that agreement that would make Iran a nuclear power and we said tear it up. We’re not going to put nuclear weapons in the hands of a maniac,” he said, referring to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

 

“How can you do commerce with them? We all know they’re the largest sponsor of terrorism in the world,” he said. “When you buy oil from Iran you are funding murder. Face it. And stop it,” he emphasized.

.@RudyGiuliani: "I accuse Iran's Ayatollah & Rouhani of murder. Not just murder but mass murder. How can we tolerate this. Four decades of mass murder and crimes against humanity in Iran. They have to go!"#IStandWithMaryamRajavi #FreeIran #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/1pfBIPDBEf

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 13, 2019

“Number two,” the former mayor continued, “there is an alternative to this horrible regime of terror. This isn’t one of those situations in which we have the choice of deposing a horrible dictators and we don’t know if a more horrible one will come along.”

Tom Ridge, Louis Freeh and Bob Torricelli agree that NCRI (National Council of Resistance in Iran) is a very capable alternative to the Regime of Terror oppressing Iran for 40 years. They stand for freedom. pic.twitter.com/xaqzMkdDUS

— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) July 13, 2019

“We know there’s something much better. We know there’s a group of people who have been fighting for freedom all their lives, who have lost the closest people to them in the fight for freedom, who are dedicated to it,” he added.

 

Giuliani moved on to his final point. “Last thing, what can you do?… You can be a witness like in the Biblical sense of a witness. You know something that a lot of people don’t know. You know really how bad it is in Iran. You know about the murders and you know about the continuing murders. And you know about the MEK. And you know about Madame Rajavi. And you know the truth, not the lies,” he said.

 

“So you can be a witness to that. You can write and you can speak, you can organize. Be a part of it,” Giuliani added.

 

“And when you see the lies about us, stand up. I get attacked and my colleagues who will be here in a moment get attacked all the time in America.

But I know and I feel as I’ve told you, as I conclude, the optimism in this room, and I know why there’s an optimism in this room. Because you know what I know. We’re going to be in Tehran much sooner than all those cynics believe,” he concluded.

Staff writer

The fourth day of the Free Iran Conference at Ashraf 3 on Sunday concluded with a seminar entitled “Women in the Iranian Resistance: Defying the Misogynist Regime, Paying the Price of Freedom.” Women’s rights activists and prominent female voices from around the world gathered at Ashraf 3 to discuss the struggle of Iranian women under the mullahs and to express their solidarity with Maryam Rajavi and the Iranian Resistance.

#Women in the #Iranian Resistance – Defying the Misogynist Regime, Paying the Price of Freedom-Conference at #Ashraf3,#MEK's residence in Albania. Watch live: https://t.co/taBbbUGRZU #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #FreeIran #WeSupportMEK

— MEKIran (@MEK_Iran) July 14, 2019

Highlights from the conference, including Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s keynote address, are below:

Maryam Rajavi

President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

Mrs. Rajavi described the current status of Iranian women under the mullahs’ regime during the first portion of her speech. “Women have no role in the ruling regime and in its decision-making at any level of its hierarchy,” she said. “Another issue is depriving women of their personal and social freedoms and their right to free choice,” Mrs. Rajavi added, noting that women in Iran were not free to travel without restrictions or dress as they would like.

I would like to briefly review the status of Iranian women in a few realms:#Iran#FreeIran pic.twitter.com/J52Nt6WdsK

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) July 14, 2019

“Another issue is the hideous inequalities of discrimination against women under the clerical regime: drastic inequalities in job opportunities, in wages, in education, in testimony before a court, in having access to medical services and insurance, in their share of inheritance, access to sports fields and stadiums, and denials in every realm.” she continued.

 

“Such discrimination in any society in any juncture in history would mean subjugation of the people, suppression, and plundering of political rights,” Mrs. Rajavi stressed.

 

“You might have heard claims that if the mullahs were to be overthrown, Iran would experience chaos, disasters and destitution. But aren’t Iranian women living in conditions even worse than war-torn countries? Aren’t they suffering from poverty, unemployment and homelessness?” she asked.

 

“Another issue is promoting violence against women. Women in Iran do not feel safe anywhere: not at work, not in the streets, and not at home,” Mrs. Rajavi went on.

 

“Inhumane treatment of women in prison is also common practice,” she added.

Mrs. Rajavi explained the reason for the appalling treatment of women in Iran, saying, “Misogyny is the driving force and the essence of the regime’s suppression of the society in general.”

If our movement was not deeply against exploitation and all of its political, social, theoretical, and cultural conducts, women could not hold such positions for a long time. #Iran #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/7TaW0riFUF

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) July 14, 2019

“The common answer to all these problems, ranging from poverty and discrimination to lack of free choice, lies in freedom and equality. Not just equality and not just freedom. But both freedom and equality,” she stressed.

 

“I have always emphasized that women not only free themselves but free their societies at large,” she added.

Inspired by the 1,000 women of Ashraf, this is a tradition that Iran’s enlightened women and rebellious girls are following, which is an emancipating struggle. #Iran #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/Jp97NlkcPJ

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) July 14, 2019

Mrs. Rajavi saluted all of the Iranian political prisoners who are currently sitting in the mullahs’ jails. “In addition to political opposition, they have committed the unforgivable crime: to be a rebellious woman. To be a woman and not surrender, to be a woman and persevere in the struggle, to be a woman and instead of thinking about yourself think about the liberation of people in chains, this is something that has driven the mullahs insane,” she said.

Sarvenaz Chitsaz

Chair of the NCRI Women’s Committee

Speaking to the activists who helped relocate MEK members from Camp Liberty, Chitsaz said, “You are members of the large family of resistance. You fought for freedom alongside the Ashrafis. You extended support to them through their endeavors.”

Sarvnaz Chitsaz, Chair @womenncri: "The mullahs’ incessant savagery toward women is the rgm's driving force in suppressing Iranian society. Women are at the forefront of the battle against the regime & are leading protests in Iran."#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/4N488nMQ9B

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2019

“Every woman in the resistance has made her own choice. They have played a key role in creating this resistance with their perseverance in the regime’s dungeons enduring medieval torture by the misogynistic mullahs and also with their 14 years of resistance at Camp Ashraf amd Liberty,” said Chitsaz.

 

“This is an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of women’s struggle. This explains why Iranian women inside Iran have been able to resist against the misogynistic regime and its harsh oppression and why they are at the forefront of the battle against the regime and leading protests in Iran. They see the history of the women in Ashraf and they are inspired by their resistance. This is why the regime targets Iranian women to such an extent,” she explained.

 

“The mullahs’ incessant savagery toward women is the driving force of the regime in its suppression of the Iranian society,” Ms. Chitsaz concluded.

Senator Ingrid Betancourt

Former Senator and Colombian Presidential candidate

“When you will be in Tehran, and it will happen soon, you will face a tremendous challenge. You are the only real organization where women are consistently at the top. You will be confronted by the fact that taking power in a country like Iran, with 80 million inhabitants, one of the big countries in the Middle East, both by population and by geopolitical importance: it’s not a small challenge. Whatever you do will reflect on the whole world,” Ms. Betancourt emphasized.

“The impact you will have because you have a woman leader because it’s in a country that has been ruled by a misogynist regime, the impact will be like an atomic bomb. So whatever is done in those first few months will define what the next generation of women will be able to do in the world. This is a very serious responsibility,” she continued.

“Another challenge is religion…When religion is involved, it becomes very personal to women. One of the things that we have to be aware of is that this system of patriarchy, it’s a mind frame that we all have in ourselves, man and woman. We have to be conscious about it and we have to fight it in ourselves and others. When you transition to a secular government, you will have to deal not only with the clergy but also with women and men who are not ready for this change,” Betancourt stressed.

.@ranjanakumari: "Women's rights are human rights. I’m very happy to see the NCRI's leadership has underlined there will be no compromise on gender equality in a future Iran … When women take leadership, they can move mountains."#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/OhXswN0egX

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2019

Dr. Ranjana Kumari

Director of the Centre for Social Research in India

“Whenever we’ve seen these struggles, one thing that is important to keep in mind is that women are in the line of fire. So many struggles where women have fought in the front lines. However, when the power came, women were made to go back to the kitchen…I’m so happy this is a unique organization where women are in top positions. You’re already involved in different levels of governance, you know how to exercise power,” said Dr. Kumari.

“Women’s rights are human rights. I’m very happy to see your leadership has underlined there will be no compromise on gender equality… When women take leadership, they can move mountains,” Dr. Kumari concluded.

Maria Candida Almeida

Deputy Attorney General of Portugal

“The ones who must defend the people’s rights against killings, massacres, and suppression. Horrible things are happening in Iran today, such as the killing of pregnant women. The international community must not accept this. This is why your cause is my cause. I am with you,” said Ms. Almeida.

“Your movement is an example to all of us. Your leader is courageous and strong. She is an example for all people and for me. In the past few days, I was encouraged to work harder for you when I return home. I hope you accept me as your messenger,” Ms. Almeida concluded.

Dr Maria Ryan, Cottage Hospital CEO: "I’ve never seen misogyny as a culture as it is in Iran. It is systematic. In 50yrs, books will speak about your Resistance & @Maryam_Rajavi. I put Mrs Rajavi up w/ the forefathers of my country"#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/6YxoVkeYRY

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2019

Dr. Maria Ryan

CEO of Cottage Hospital

“As we move the regime out from Iran, it’s going to take a lot of work. This is where your strength becomes significant. I learned from you and your optimism. It’s impressive that you can overcome adversity and look to the future and what needs to happen,” she added.

Giuseppina Occhionero

Italian MP

“Your struggle for civil rights is an honor for all the world because you are an example of women who put fear behind them, and you, Mrs. Rajavi, your deep views for human rights: we will take home the same responsibilities,” said Ms. Occhionero.

 

“Today, we see that we can unite and we can struggle against inequality. You women are the force of change in Iran,” Ms. Occhionero continued. “You are the answer. To all the women who have paid the price of freedom, I thank you for this. The change will come through the fulfillment of women’s rights,” she concluded.

Zinat Mirhashemi

NCRI member and Editor in Chief of Nabard-e-Khalq Review

“In the 120 years of struggle for freedom in Iran, women have had an important role. In previous generations before the Revolution, the face of the struggle for freedom and equality was not just the face of men. They showed to the world that women have a significant role in this fight,” said Ms. Mirhashemi.

 

“And now we have reached a time when we see women’s roles in the highest ranks in such a struggle. This is the assurance of this organization’s future and that women’s equality will be fulfilled because these women are leaders,” she continued.

 

“In this movement, men and women are fighting together for a common cause. Where women have a significant role, victory is assured. The future is ours… The women who are in prison are our pride. Our movement for justice in Iran has a wealth of women from across Iran,” Ms. Mirhashemi concluded.

Khadija Ziyani

Moroccan MP

“The world will remember you for what you have shown as women who strive for freedom. What you’ve accomplished in 18 months in building Ashraf 3 from scratch is something that we are proud of,” said Ziyani.

“I’m very optimistic that you will reach freedom, not for power and with power, but with hearts that don’t give up and are determined. You have high human values,” she added.

Former Romanian MP Maria Grecea: "Iran's regime is at a political & social dead-end. We the supporters of the NCRI & MEK must help Iranian ppl. History has proven that things will change and the fascist dictators of Iran will fall"#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/asqF50gt9z

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2019

“I believe you will reach what you are fighting for because you have high determination. I’ve never seen such determination as I’ve seen in Mrs. Rajavi,” Ziyani concluded.

Maria Grecea

Former Romanian MP

“We are at a critical and sensitive moment in Iran’s history because the mullahs’ regime is at a political and social dead-end and we the supporters of the Iranian Resistance must help the people. History has proven to us that some things will change and the fascist dictators of Iran must fall,” said Grecea.

 

“This is important not only for the people of Iran but for the world because an exporter of terrorism will be eliminated. Your persistence was seen when the PMOI [MEK] built international support for Iranians, especially for the popular uprising of 2017/2018. The international pressure and the ongoing protests have put the regime in a difficult situation,” she continued.

Edit Bauer

Former MEP from Slovakia

“As a woman, what makes your resistance special to me is the key role played by women in the struggle for freedom in Iran. Mrs. Rajavi has educated and trained a generation of women who are capable of leading Ashraf residents through ups and downs, but also a generation of men who can cooperate with women in building their nation,” said Bauer.

“You have confronted fundamentalism in a way that no other movement has. You have proven the failure of the mullahs’ ideology in practice. I’m seeing the strengthening of the support for your movement around the world,” she added.

Somaya Al Jowder, former Bahraini MP: "From you, the MEK & NCRI, I learned about being patient and sacrificing. I learned from you that endurance is the answer to everything, and how we can add to our belief and our faith" #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/RBuPqPq2E5

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2019

Dr. Somaya Al JowderFormer Bahraini MP

“From you, I learned about being patient and giving to others. I learned from you that endurance is the answer to everything, and how we can add to our belief and our faith,” Dr. Al Jowder said to the women of the MEK.

“I have seen the perseverance of your men. They don’t fight to be first. We hope that our men in our country will do the same,” she added.

“Iran’s uprising and rebuilding of Iran will be done by you, the PMOI [MEK] women. I’m sure that next year, all of us will be celebrating democracy in Iran,” she concluded.

Flore Ram

Iranian human rights activist

“When I was young, I couldn’t leave my country without the permission of my husband. If a father died, the mother didn’t have the right to raise the children. When the mullahs came to our country, they ruled like ISIS. They imprisoned and raped women. There was nothing for the people of Iran. But standing against that is the Iranian Resistance and the women of the MEK,” said Ms. Ram.

“Mrs. Rajavi has been digging this cancerous tumor out of Iran. I’m very proud of you. I wish everyone could get to know you like we know you. This is the reality,” she added.

Concetta Giallombardo

President of the Association of Female Jurists from Italy

“Struggling for the equality of men and women is something that we must pay the price for. In your struggle and resistance; this has been reviewed. There’s a mindset that is different about the relationship between men and women. The relationship is about knowledge and understanding,” Ms. Giallombardo said.

Concetta Giallombardo, President of Association of Female Jurists from Italy: "I'd like to congratulate the NCRI for your mindset & how you view the relationship between men & women. I hope that under your viewpoint, we will see a #FreeIran." #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/CkVqkYXLDa

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2019

“I would like to congratulate you for your mindset and how you view the relationship between men and women. I hope that under your viewpoint, we will see a new society,” she concluded.

Staff writer

Ashraf-3, the MEK’s headquarters in Albania, hosted an international conference on Thursday, July 11th entitled “Policy on Iran and a Viable Alternative.” A panel of prominent politicians and dignitaries from the United States and Europe offered their perspectives on the best approach to dealing with the Iranian regime. They also discussed the need for the international community to support the MEK as the democratic alternative to the mullahs’ regime in Iran.

Moderator:

• Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Lincoln Bloomfield

Panelists:

• Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
• Former Commandant of the U.S. Marines Corps James Conway
• University of Baltimore Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan
• Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Ambassador Robert Joseph
• Former Foreign Minister of Canada
• Former U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli

The following are some of the most notable moments from the day’s event. (Questions in bold type were asked by panel moderator Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield.)

"The JCPOA [Iran deal] was such a bad deal … I don't know how the British Foreign Secretary today could be wanting to resuscitate the JCPOA after what happened yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz. It just boggles the mind" – @Baird at today's Iran policy conference in Albania pic.twitter.com/hamQiCoAZq

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 11, 2019

What is the Achilles heel of the mullahs’ regime?

Sen. Torricelli “There’s a fundamental belief that things will work out. The future is not as bad as the past. Even a despotic regime will reform itself over time. That’s a handicap for us. The Iranian regime is not going to reform. It’s not going to change.”

“The second handicap is, those who would accommodate the regime take the high ground because they’re speaking out against war. Here’s the problem: first of all, there is a war. There’s no one fighting back. Tens of thousands of Iranians were killed by their own government. There’s been a war waged on the Iranian people since 1979. Those who would argue for patience and time have no moral high ground.”

Where can we have the maximum effect on pushing the regime back?

“Iran's regime will fall. But if we pursue wrong policies that assist the rgm such as giving it a $150B down payment, we'll be perpetuating the threat & hurting the people of Iran” – ex-US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Robert Joseph.#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi pic.twitter.com/gr96VdUGRR

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 11, 2019

Amb. Joseph: “The right policy is whatever accelerates the end of this regime. The wrong policy is what prolongs the life of this regime. Appeasement has turned out to be not just a failure but also counter to American interests. We should start with maximum pressure, and the administration has been doing a good job. The sanctions are having a deep impact on the Iranian economy.

“If we show weakness, it’s provocative. When we show strength, the regime backs down. It’s important that we always keep in mind that the show of strength is key to success.”

“Land invasion is not what’s necessary. Change has to come from within [Iran]. A more effective policy would include calling out the regime on its gross human rights violations. We don’t do that often enough.”

“We should negotiate on nuclear affairs, but we have to keep in mind what our principles are. We should not be victim of the mindset that negotiations mean compromise and giving the other party concessions. That is what happened in the JCPOA.

“Our focus ought to be calling them out, and combining these tools, whether its sanctions or the military, that will facilitate the end of this regime.”

What’s the right strategy to impair the military of the Iranian regime? Is it something we should be looking at? What else could we be thinking of that would undermine the cohesion of this criminal enterprise?

Prof. Sheehan: “The contest is ultimately over the right to think freely. The regime fears the truth, they fear facts. We must hold panels like this and expand the truth. We must give the Iranian people a sense of what’s going on around them and the idea that there is this viable alternative.

“The Iranian opposition does not fear the truth, and they know ultimately that it is on their side. With time these ideas will lead to the revolution that we’d all like to see take place.”

“There are some groups and individuals that you simply can’t negotiate with, and Iran’s terrorist regime is emblematic of that group” – @ProfSheehan at today's Iran policy conference in Ashraf-3, Albania.#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi pic.twitter.com/Lv93iJFpAq

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 11, 2019

Should we be more specific about the guilt of the Iranian regime?

Baird: “We can exploit the regime’s vulnerability, to support the people of Iran. The regime realizes that when it falls, they will have no place to go. The senior members of this regime know that they will have nowhere to go and they will be held to account for their crimes such as the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and the bombing of the Jewish center in Argentina.”

Sen. Torricelli: “No one can seriously believe this regime will last long. It’s an unsustainable situation. If you’re in the leadership today, there’s going to be a moment in your life when you’re going to be held accountable.”

What messages are the ones that really hurt the regime the most and isolate them among their people?

Amb. Joseph: “We must continue to push forward on exposing the regime’s brutality and its human rights violation. In the information space, we ought to focus on how this regime has failed the people. Just look at their inability to respond to the recent flooding. It is an incompetent regime. That is a vulnerability that would further deteriorate support for this regime in Iran, which is already decreasing day after day, month after month, year after year.”

Do the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) deserve to wear a uniform at all, given their unprofessional behavior?

Gen. James Conway, ex-Commandant of the US Marines: “The objective of authoritarian regimes is the survival of their regime. Iran's regime wants to be the premiere power in the region. How do we counter that? We should ratchet up the sanctions." #FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi pic.twitter.com/c2g4hJ6krO

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 11, 2019

General Conway, “Iran’s regime invariably gets greedy. Every one of the leaders of this regime have Swiss bank accounts that are growing while the people of Iran are living in poverty. We should expose that and let the people know who their leadership is.”

What will do the trick [to overthrow the mullahs]?

Prof. Ivan Sascha Sheehan “The regime in Tehran fears internal pressure more than it fears external threats. The people of Iran don’t need the world to rescue them. The regime change will be led by you.”

Are we playing strong offense and defense?

Sen. Torricelli: “Not enough.”

“It happens all the time. In Tehran, they have carefully disseminated false information into the mainstream media. We’re fighting back, and it’s been a long climb. What the mullahs are doing with misinformation in Washington, London and Paris, you can do with the truth. “

Baird: “The fact that the European authorities uncovered a plot by the regime that tried to attack the Free Iran rally in Paris in 2018, the rashness just shows how fearful the regime is of you.”

How do we amass the power of the many outrages about the regime and put it all into a powerful mixture?

Amb. Joseph: “The process that I’ve seen is that reporters tend to go to the same sources over and over again. If you look at who they’re going to in the world of think tanks, most of these people are doing the work of the regime.”

“This is where the MEK and NCRI can make a difference.”

Is the world taking notice of the regime’s terrorism in their countries? When did it become acceptable behavior? What should we do about it?

Prof. Sheehan: “There are some groups and individuals that you simply can’t negotiate with, and the regime is emblematic of that group.”

“In Washington, DC, we found a deeply entrenched pro-regime lobby, and that lobby exists in other places of the world. But the tools and power of ideas that we have at our disposal today are much stronger than the tools we had before.”

“We don’t have to wait for Washington to change its policy. Every citizen around the world can help contribute to this change.”

A lot of people in Washington fear that what happened in Syria and Libya will repeat in Iran.

Baird: “They need to understand who the Iranian people are and what their capacity is. We have to push back against the elite foreign policy view in the West. In the West, regimes start to do crazy stupid things and the type of behavior we’ve seen in this regime. They are not being rational in their final days, and the more we see this, the closer they are to their end.”

The Iranian people have had this aspiration from at least the beginning of the 20th century. How can we convince the West that we can trust them if this regime collapses?

“Those who accommodate Iran's regime take the high ground since they’re speaking out against war. Iran's Gov has waged war on its ppl since 1979 killing tens of thousands. Those who argue for patience/time have no moral highground” @bobtorricelli#FreeIran #IStandWithMaryamRajavi pic.twitter.com/bqUuKtouAd

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 11, 2019

Sen. Torricelli: “Tehran is desperately trying to keep the Europeans in a dialogue to keep an economic lifeline. They do not want military confrontation but they are attacking the U.S. drone. These are irrational acts. When the regime becomes this irrational, it means that the sanctions are working. Those irrational actions tell me that we’re reaching a point. If I were Trump or Merkel or Macron, I would press my foot on the pedal because they’re telegraphing that what we are doing is working.”

How do we direct western policy in the right direction? What could we do that we are not doing enough of?

Giuliani: “We had an opportunity a few years ago when the sanctions were working. There are strong indicators that the protests in Iran are becoming political.”

“People have said bad things about you because you support the MEK and Madam Rajavi. What does Washington need to know that this group is entirely misportrayed in Washington?” asked Amb. Bloomfield.

Giuliani: “We need a massive public relations campaign. When people find out what this group really stands for and they get past the allegations, it all starts to make sense. We’ve got the same goal that is a free democratic Iran.”

Is there a potential for Canada, the U.S. and Europe to find common ground on how the regime is gaming the west and escaping accountability?

Baird: “After Iraq, President Obama and other European leaders were so desperate to make diplomacy work rather than military force. What we need is leadership. The weakness in 2009 in not standing up for the Iranian people will go down in history as a lost opportunity. We must do all we can to stand up for what’s right. We need leadership. That is what Madam Rajavi is trying to provide.”

Sen. Torricelli: “The people are realizing that this regime will not moderate. The regime’s behavior is also deteriorating all the time.”

What can we do to show there’s a democratic alternative? How do we find that next gear in Washington?

Giuliani: “In the past year, the regime has become more frightened and irrational. Striking the drone and what they’re doing with the tankers, maybe they want us to attack them and they hope that it would rally the people behind them. We’re so reluctant to take military action, and the world would also react badly, that the mullahs could push us along if they engaged diplomatically. But their poking their finger in our eye.”

“I think the mullahs are going to fall, with these protests going on, the crazy things they are doing. I think they are desperate. What they are doing sounds like a regime that is not thinking in clever ways.”

Let’s assume the Iranians will continue to lash out desperately. What’s your advice in Washington for a legitimate response?

Amb. Joseph: “One of the things we need to do is recognize that revolutions are very messy. What is missing in those revolutions is a viable alternative that would be beneficial not only to the Iranian people but also to the U.S. and the world in general.”

“What we need to do is to think strategically and integrate our tools in an effective strategy. The only solution to the nuclear issue in Iran is regime change and the viable alternative is a key component to that.”

“I spoke to many people in Ashraf. The sacrifices that the members of MEK in Ashraf have endured are many. But they do not have a sense of revenge. That, I think, will deliver the people of Iran their freedom.”

Do we have the ability to select surgical targets as an acceptable response?

Prof. Sheehan: “What unifies us here in this panel and this room is that the mullahs are not irrational when it comes to one thing, which is their fear of the organized resistance. What I wish U.S. officials knew is the democratic aspirations and inclinations of the Iranian people, which run very, very deep. The Iranian people are not the slightest bit irrational. I have come to appreciate how sophisticated and educated they are. I have come to appreciate that the NCRI’s platform and Madam Rajavi’s plan is the future of Iran. That’s the viable alternative that we need Washington to realize.”

People have been in the streets since the late 2017. They are admitting that the MEK and NCRI are organizing the demonstrations. Are we making progress here?

Giuliani: “The fact that the protests continue is a very good sign even though the regime has tried to harm them. The biggest frustration is getting the European governments to do the right thing. Whatever their economic interests and fear, we should all be together in eliminating this regime. We have to keep up the pressure, try to put more sanctions. And the important point is, some of these revolutions have happened without an alternative. Here you do not have to let that happen. We must get Americans to understand that there is an alternative and let them see it.”

More than 15,000 MEK supporters gathered at the Brandenburg Gate on Saturday for the Berlin Free Iran Rally. The event included speeches by prominent European and American politicians and human rights activists, Iranian Resistance leaders, and featured a video address from National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) leader Mrs. Maryam Rajavi.

The Associated Press

The rally and subsequent march received widespread attention from media outlets across the world. The Associated Press reported on the rally and Mrs. Rajavi’s speech in support of the ongoing uprising in Iran and the organized resistance movement.

🚨#Berlin🇩🇪
06 July 2019
NO: 3
@AP: Women raise their fists at a rally for the uprising and resistance of Iranian citizens at the Brandenburg Gate. #NCRI#FreeIran#BlacklistRouhani#IStandWithMaryamRajavi @SecPompeo pic.twitter.com/jcqW2D4o2E

— Asef_Bazmandeh (@BazmandehAsef) July 7, 2019

Al Arabiya

The Al Arabiya news network reported that Iranian demonstrators called for regime agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) to be prosecuted and expelled from Germany and the rest of Europe. The thousands of MEK members in attendance also voiced their support for the anti-regime protests currently taking place in Iran.

European Pressphoto Agency

The European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) covered the rally as well, publishing 40 photographs of the event. According to EPA, NCRI supporters from across the world gathered in Berlin to call for regime change and the establishment of democracy in Iran.

Channel One

Germany’s Channel One website wrote that 15,000 Iranians rallied in support of human rights and against executions in Iran. The website added that the Iranian regime has been repeatedly condemned for its high rate of executions.

Die Welt

Germany’s Die Welt website wrote:

“Several thousand people demonstrated in Berlin against the political system in Iran and for human rights. Under the motto: ‘Solidarity with the Citizens’ Protests in Iran – Against the Death Penalty,’ they held a rally at the Brandenburg Gate in the evening. A large banner read: ‘Time for a free Iran’. Many people wore Iranian flags and held large balloons in the national colors green-white-red. The protest march was registered by the exiled Iranian society.

 

“In Iran, the death penalty is imposed for, among other things, murder, rape, armed robbery, and heavier drug trafficking. Iran has been the focus of international criticism for many years due to its numerous executions.”

Elaph

The London-based Elaph news outlet reported on speeches by Mrs. Rajavi and other notable dignitaries. Elaph wrote that Mrs. Rajavi warned Europe against providing incentives to the mullahs’, explaining that doing business with Tehran would only fuel the regime’s malign activities at home and abroad.

Elaph also reported on speeches by other dignitaries, who called on the international community to end Iran’s exportation of terrorism and sectarian violence in the Middle East.

Among the prominent politicians and human rights activists who gave speeches at the Free Iran Rally were former U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy, Columbian-French politician Ingrid Betancourt, and German MP Thomas Nord.

Orient TV

Demonstrators expressed solidarity with the Iranian people’s uprising and the MEK’s Resistance Units at the Free Iran Rally in Berlin, according to a report from the Syrian opposition-affiliated news network Orient TV.

Staff writer

 

On June 15, thousands of members and supporters of the Iranian opposition movement will march in Brussels in support of their brothers and sisters in Iran.

A #FreeIran is within reach & regime change in Iran is near
It is imperative 2 recognize the right of the Ppl of Iran 2 resist against & overthrow the mullahs’ regime.”
Friday,June 21-10:30.Washington,DC, 22nd St. NW @StateDep#March4RegimeChangebyIranians #IStandWithMaryamRajavi pic.twitter.com/YwpyPqO6a4

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) June 17, 2019

The Iranian people are in the midst of a struggle against the repressive and tyrannical ruling regime. Since December 2017, Iranians from all walks of life have frequently protested in the streets to express their disgust and anger at the regime’s human rights abuses, warmongering, nuclear arms development and use of terrorism as a tool for statecraft.

Following the march in Brussels, similar protests will take place in Washington D.C. on June 21.

A Display of Solidarity

On June 15, protestors will gather opposite the European Union headquarters in Schuman Place. They will then march through central Brussels.

Former Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi and former Colombian Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt are among those that will address the crowd, shedding light on the regime’s crimes and atrocities.

#FreeIran Huge dem of thousands of Iranian people in Brussels calling on the #EU to strenghten its policies against the theocratic regime,its #statesponsoredterrorism, #nuclearprogram, #humanrigthsviolations,to sanction #IRGC and ##Hezbollah @GlobalCRL @Mohaddessin @Maryam_Rajavi pic.twitter.com/h5yoHGxOoq

— Giulio Terzi (@GiulioTerzi) June 15, 2019

The protests mark a gesture of solidarity with members of the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK / PMOI) and other opposition pro-democracy groups that are risking their lives to orchestrate anti-regime protests in Iran.

Shahin Gobadi, of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: “This is the first time that a series of protests with such dimensions will continuously be organized by the Iranian Resistance and its supporters in the West.”

As the opposition movement within Iran gathers pace, the regime’s future in power looks increasingly unstable. The regime “faces an explosive society that wants its downfall,” Gobadi added.

This Time is Different

The regime has faced internal opposition before. But this time, it is different. The regime can no longer rely on a policy of appeasement from international governments. The United States, among others, is adopting a firmer stance towards the Iranian regime.

The crippling economic sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, coupled with increasing domestic unrest and a highly-motivated opposition movement, has left the regime at a critical juncture.

“All these indicate the regime is in its final phase. The series of marches by Iranians in different countries is a crucial answer to this situation,” said Gobadi.

A Fatal Flaw in the Regime’s Narrative

The regime has responded to domestic resistance in the past by cracking down on dissidents, while actively pushing a narrative to Iranians and international government that without the regime, Iran would descend into chaos. Its grip on power depends on convincing the world that there is no viable alternative to the regime’s rule.

The Regime’s Crackdown on the #MEK Only Serves to Demonstrate Its Effectiveness #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #FreeIranhttps://t.co/WWoBPvXhKJ pic.twitter.com/KxH1DucTE6

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) June 10, 2019

However, there is now a flaw in this narrative. The MEK has put forward a ten-point plan for the restoration of democracy in Iran. The plan acts as a roadmap to democracy and the installation of a secular, non-nuclear Iran where gender equality and religious tolerance prospers.

The expansion of the MEKs resistance units and resistance councils in the last few months demonstrate that there is extensive support within the country for the MEK’s political platform. There is now a viable alternative to the mullahs’ tyranny.

Call on the International Community

The Iranian people are making their opinions known by protesting in the streets, chanting anti-regime slogans and bearing photos of the MEK’s president-elect, Maryam Rajavi.

However, elements in the international community are still unwilling to accept the MEK as a viable democratic alternative to the Iranian regime. At the marches in Brussels and Washington, members of the Iranian diaspora and their allies will call on the heads of international governments to abandon their policies of appeasement and acknowledge the MEK as a viable democratic alternative.

The protestors will demand that the EU and the international community at large hold the mullahs to account for their human rights abuses, weapons proliferation, support of Islamic extremism and state-sponsored terror campaign.

The protests will also call on the EU to follow the US’s lead and designate the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as an international terror organization. The designation would disrupt the flow of international funds to the organization, limiting the regime’s ability to use the group as a central pillar of repression and violence.

Fearing the end is near, the regime is lashing out at its international opponents. Iranian attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia and the destruction of two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman show that the regime will go to desperate lengths to preserve its grip on power.

RT.@Maryam_Rajavi:We call on the #EU to designate the mullahs’ Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGCTerrorists)& their Ministry of Intelligence (#BlacklistMOIS) as terrorist entities. #Iran regime’s mercenaries must be tried, punished&expelled.#FreeIran pic.twitter.com/v0p8S5nAKt

— Mina (@Minajabbarian) June 16, 2019

For this reason, a unified global response to Iranian aggression is vital. “The mullahs feel the earth shifting beneath their feet,” Gobadi said. “The failure of the policy of appeasement which is nearing its end is a nightmare for the mullahs,” he concluded. The regime can no longer ignore the calls for regime change in Iran. It is increasingly isolated on the world stage. The Iranian opposition is gathering in Tehran, Brussels, Paris, Washington D.C., New York, London and beyond. It is only a matter of time before the opposition will realize its dream of a democratic Iran.

Staff writer

Ever since the eruption of protests in more than 140 Iranian cities in late December 2017, it has become obvious that winds of change inside Iran are in motion and that the Ayatollah’s rule is coming to an end. Slogans like “Death to Khamenei” and  “reformers, hardliners, the game is now over”, are appearing, scrawled on walls or shouted in crowds at public protests, sending a clear message to Iran’s rulers, and the West.

 

In early January 2017, just two weeks after protests broke out across the country, the Iranian regime’s leader, Khamenei, identified Iran’s main opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI, aka, Mojahedin-e-Khalq or MEK) as a major force behind the uprising. As always, he blamed the US and “foreign enemies” as external influences in an attempt to downplay the MEK’s role in the uprising.  

 

These external factors would come into play in the weeks and months that followed. In May 2018, the US exited the “Nuclear Deal” with Iran. Shortly afterward, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlined 12 preconditions for any possible renegotiation of the agreement with the Iranian regime. The conditions included the immediate cessation of the mullahs’ missile development programs and the regime’s exit from regional conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

 

During the second half of 2018, the Iranian regime, faced with ongoing protests and renewed economic sanctions from the West, had to take action to survive.

 

It launched a terror campaign in Europe and the US. The regime plotted at least four major acts of terror in Albania, France, the U.S. and Denmark. In each case, the primary target of the attacks was the MEK.

 

On April 19, 2018, the Albanian Prime Minister revealed authorities had foiled a plot to bomb the MEK’s New Year celebrations in March of that year. Ghomahossein Mohammadnia, the Iranian regime’s ambassador to Albania, and Mostafa Roodaki, the Ministry of Information and Security (MOIS) station chief in Albania, were subsequently expelled from the country in December of the same year.

 

Inside Iran, the internal crisis was escalating. Corruption within the system had become a common topic of discussion and the ruling regime had lost any shred of credibility it had maintained among its base.

 

The regime’s strategy for survival became “waiting out the Trump era”. There were talks about how they could buy time until President Trump’s term in office came to an end in the hope that the next administration would adopt a softer stance towards Iran.  

State-run Media Worries that IRGC Terrorist Designation Will Lead to More Protests

That dream, however, was shattered when theTrump administration listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April 2019. The IRGC is a central pillar of the regime’s repressive organ. It keeps the Ayatollahs in power and plays a vital role in the suppression of protests and uprisings.

 

The regime’s survival is the top priority for the rulers in Iran. They know that the people’s uprising, ignited by the MEK’s activities inside Iran, is their main threat.

To confront this internal threat Khamenei appointed hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi as the new head of the judiciary in May 2019. Raisi was one of three people in charge of the 1988 massacre, where the regime rounded up and executed more than 30,000 political prisons in Iran, most of which were members and affiliates of the MEK.

 

The designation of Raisi indicates that Khameni has no intention of relinquishing power voluntarily. His regime will confront the opposition with violence and intimidation wherever necessary.

Iran Human Rights Monitor Reports Two Months of Human Rights Violations under Ebrahim Raisi

The regime is employing a similar strategy on the international stage. Terrorism and hostage taking will remain the regime’s primary tools to deal with external issues. This was on show when Iran’s Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, repeatedly pointed out on his recent visit to the US that the Iranian regime has several US hostages in Iranian prisons.

 

The US’s policy of “maximum pressure” is working. The Iranian regime is feeling the pressure. It can no longer fund Hezbollah and other terrorist forces in the region.

The task of freeing Iran from Ayatollahs's malign rule belongs to Iranian people. Join us at #FreeIran rally and participate in this democratic exercise in support of the Iranian uprising. #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #IranRegimeChange #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/izFQdTS2JU

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) June 13, 2019

In order to ensure peace and to prevent the Iranian regime from igniting the flames of war in the Middle East, the West must empower the people of Iran and the Iranian opposition to foster democratic change. Lending support to the exiled Iranians planning rallies and demonstrations across the globe against the regime is a vital part of this empowerment.

Look for marches and rallies in Europe (Brussels, June 15, Berlin, July 6, Stockholm, July 20, London, July 27) and the US (Washington, June 21) and lend your support.

Hamid Azimi

The Iranian regime is in chaos due to an escalating economic crisis, rising social unrest, and growing international isolation. Forty years of failed policies have brought the mullahs to the inevitable end of their rule.

A recent editorial published on ncr-iran.org cited three factors that will lead to the imminent demise of the Iranian regime.

Social Unrest

The first factor cited was the growing unrest in Iran, which regime First Vice-President has described as a gas house ready to explode with a single ignition. The clerical regime’s continued repression of human rights and basic freedoms has led to widespread protests and rebellion.

.@Maryam_Rajavi to the Grand Gathering in Paris, July 9, 2016
Owing to explosive public discontent,the regime is continuously gripped by fundamental instability. Additionally,it has come face-to-face with a capable and vigilant alternative force.#IStandWithMaryamRajavi #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/o6KTUeox2s

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) June 1, 2019

The Presence of a Democratic Alternative

The second factor responsible for the regime’s terminal crisis is the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK / PMOI). The NCRI with the MEK as its backbone has risen as a viable democratic alternative to the clerical regime over the past forty years, gaining popular support within Iran. The regime’s numerous attempts to destroy the MEK through mass executions, underhanded diplomatic dealings, propaganda attacks, and terrorist plots have all failed.

Process and promise of change has many integral components: capacity to hope for better, people’s desire for change, leadership, organization to dismantle existing system, and the political alternative to secure the change and future. Iranian Resistance has them all and beyond. pic.twitter.com/NMgTJPV7mv

— Saeid Sajadi (@Saeid_Emdi) May 30, 2019

The most recent foiled terrorist attacks on the MEK led to severe diplomatic consequences for the regime and its agents. The regime’s demonization campaign against the MEK has failed, and the opposition stands ready to bring democracy to Iran.

An End of the Era of Appeasement

The final unsolvable issue for the regime is the end of the era of appeasement. The mullahs have survived for the past forty years because Western governments turned a blind eye to their human rights abuses, nuclear and missile programs, and regional aggression. The current United States administration has taken the right approach in dealing with the Iranian regime. Last year, the U.S. reimposed oil sanctions on the Iranian regime. Earlier this year, it ended waivers to countries still receiving oil imports from the regime, with the goal of bringing the Iranian regime’s oil imports to zero. The U.S. also designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

The mullahs must now decide between two courses of action, both of which will lead to the end of the regime.

End its Malign Activities

The regime could meet the demands of the U.S and end its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional warmongering and terrorism. This is functionally impossible because the regime has shown itself to be incapable of reform. Khamenei has repeatedly said that a change in behavior is tantamount to a change in regime.

The wall of repression will fall apart with the force of sacrifice and unity.#ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists #BlackLikstMOIS #FreeIran#Iran#IranRegimeChange https://t.co/520ttCWs7s pic.twitter.com/KmpZHAxkbW

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) December 15, 2018

Increase Hostilities

The regime could further isolate itself and refuse to make changes. This would lead to war or internal collapse due to economic failure or social rebellion.

Both courses of actions would lead to the end of the regime, so the mullahs have chosen a third path: they are stalling for time.

The mullahs hope that the 2020 U.S. elections will lead to a change in policy. Until then, they hope to delay taking any action that will further antagonize the U.S. without making any concessions or appearing weak. This is a next-to-impossible task. There is also no guarantee that the 2020 elections will lead to a change in U.S. leadership.

At home, the mullahs are appointing repressive officials and cracking down on dissent to prepare for an inevitable rebellion. It seems clear that the mullahs know that the end is near.

Staff writer

On Wednesday, MEK supporters in Canada, Norway, Austria, Sweden, and the Netherlands held demonstrations in protest of the Iranian regime’s suppression of its own people and its support for terrorism abroad.

Demonstrations in Canada

Protesters in Toronto honored the day of the execution of MEK founders by the Shah’s monarchy in 1972. Moslem Eskandar Filabi, chair of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Sports Commission gave a speech in commemoration of the MEK founders and their sacrifice. He also thanked the MEK members who have worked since then to bring democracy to Iran.

#Iran opposition group PMOI/MEK supporters rallying in Canada & across Europe against the mullahs' regime.https://t.co/UTwztIwNum

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 30, 2019

MEK protesters at the Ottawa demonstration called on the Canadian government to follow the United States’ lead and designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. They also challenged the Canadian government to go further and designate the regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) as a terrorist organization as well. The Iranian protesters at the rally declared the desire of the Iranian people to overthrow the clerical regime and replace it with a free democracy.

Demonstration in Norway

NCRI representative Parvis Khazaei gave a speech at the demonstration in Oslo. Protesters at the rally called on the Norwegian government to blacklist the IRGC and MOIS and to issue sanctions against the Iranian regime.

Demonstration in Vienna

MEK supporters in Vienna held a rally in solidarity with the MEK’s growing network of Resistance Units in Iran and their fight to bring democracy to the country. The protesters held signs that read, “Uprising with Resistance Units.” They chanted, “[Iranian regime President Hassan] Rouhani is a terrorist!”

Demonstration in The Netherlands

MEK supporters in The Netherlands held a demonstration in Amsterdam in protest of the cruel and suppressive actions taken by the IRGC against the Iranian people. The protesters held signs describing the IRGC’s forty-year-history of torture, suppression, executions, and malign activities at home and abroad.

Demonstration in Switzerland

MEK Supporters in Genevee held a rally outside of the United Nations European Headquarters. One protester held a sign that read, “Effective sanctions targeting the mullahs’ regime is needed to stop the regime’s support for terrorism.”

The protesters chanted, “Plundering, crimes, Down with the mullahs’ regime!”

Demonstrations in Sweden

MEK members in Stockholm held a rally in support of NCRI President Mrs. Maryam Rajavi. The demonstrators reaffirmed their commitment to fighting for regime change in Iran.

MEK supporters in Gothenburg recognized the anniversary of the execution of MEK founders. They held signs saluting the MEK’s Resistance Units.

MEK supporters in Malmö focused on the Iranian regime’s human rights violations at their rally. One protester held a sign that read, “Teachers don’t belong in prison.”

 

The sign was in reference to the imprisonment of teacher activists by the Iranian regime. Teachers in Iran held numerous strikes and protests in 2018, including three nationwide strikes. The teachers were protesting substandard pay and benefits, a poor work environment, the inability to form labor unions, and the regime’s refusal to address their concerns. Because of the regime’s anti-labor laws banning trade unions and its aggressive crackdown on political dissent, a number of the teachers responsible for organizing the strikes and protests were arrested. Many of them are now serving long prison sentences.

 

 

Iranian regime President Hassan Rouhani announced that the regime will partially withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal, a year after the United States exited the arrangement. He told the P5+1 nations that they had 60 days to renegotiate financial and oil deals. Failure to do so would result in the regime’s partial withdrawal.

International Condemnation

Several governments condemned the announcement, including France’s Defence Minister Florence Parly.

Mohammad Mohaddessin, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) stated in a tweet that “Stockpiling enriched uranium and heavy water are violations of JCPOA and the UNSC Resolution 2231. It shows the need to total shut down of enrichment, heavy water, and all nuclear sites, exposing military aspects of the nuclear project, and snap inspections of all sites more imperative.”

2-3 Subsequent to temporary agreement with P5+1 on Nov. 2013 Mrs. Rajavi said that the full implementation of the #UNSC Resolutions, in particular complete stop of enrichment & free access to the IAEA inspectors are necessary step to prevent mullahs from obtaining the bomb. #Iran

— Mohammad Mohaddessin (@Mohaddessin) May 8, 2019

Referring to President-elect Maryam Rajavi, leader of the Iranian opposition’s message Subsequent to the temporary nuclear agreement with P5+1 on Nov. 2013 Mohaddessin reminded that “the full implementation of the #UNSC Resolutions, in particular, complete stop of enrichment, and free access to the IAEA inspectors are necessary steps to prevent mullahs from obtaining the bomb.”

Free Access to Inspectors

Mohaddessin’s comments highlight concerns often cited by the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK). The Iranian opposition has frequently expressed concerns over the nuclear deal and claimed that the Iranian regime continued to secretly enrich Uranium in pursuit of developing nuclear weapons.

During last December uprisings and on various other occasions, the Iranian public has expressed their quest for the regime to abandon its pursuit of atomic weapons. The relentless investment in missile capabilities and nuclear programs is a drain on Iranian resources and finances. At a time when the country is on the brink of economic collapse and more than 70% of Iranians live in poverty, it is an unnecessary and wasteful expense.

“It is a tool to survive religious fascism which is faced with popular outrage and is on the verge of the overthrow,” Mohaddessin said in a Tweet.

3-3 Iranian people demand ending all of the regime’s nuclear apparatus which is against their interest. It wastes Iran’s resources, destroys its economy. It is a tool to survive religious fascism which is faced with popular outrage and is on the verge of overthrow. #Iran

— Mohammad Mohaddessin (@Mohaddessin) May 8, 2019

In the face of mounting domestic protests, the regime has resorted to increasing military spending and missile development to expand the tools of repression in its arsenal. It relies on violent organs like the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) and Quds forces to maintain its grip on power. Abandoning its pursuit of nuclear weapons would be a major blow to the regime’s hegemonic ambitions in the region.

Staff writer