Thousands of MEK supporters will gather in Berlin this weekend for the next Free Iran rally. The National Council is Resistance of Iran (NCRI) announced the event earlier this year, and the rally has received attention from media outlets.

The Kuwaiti daily al-Siyassah mentioned the previous Free Iran rallies before writing about the upcoming Berlin event: “Following a June 15 rally in Brussels and a massive June 21 demonstration in Washington, supporters of the Iranian opposition group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) will hold a large gathering in Berlin on July 6.” the article said.

#FreeIran rally in support of freedom and democracy in #Iran

Berlin – July 6, 2019#IranRegimeChange #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #March4RegimeChangeByIranians pic.twitter.com/EYJDiiMM27

— Iranian van NL (@humanitaire123) June 30, 2019

The article went on to explain the goal of the Berlin rally. “More than 12,000 members of the Iranian community in Germany are predicted to be taking part in this demonstration. The participants will be voicing their support for the Iranian people’s widespread movement that is calling for an end to the ruling dictatorship and the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime. They are seeking to establish democracy, human rights, ending executions and the regime’s warmongering. Iranian communities in Germany will be calling on the international community to take action to stop the mullahs’ regime from obtaining nuclear weapons, Tehran’s terrorism drive and sectarian wars in Middle East countries. The participating Iranians in the Berlin rally will call on the European Union to bring an end to their appeasement policy and take a firm position against the mullahs’ regime.”

Message from Massoud Rajavi

In an April 8th message, NCRI founder Massoud Rajavi called on supporters of the MEK and the Iranian Resistance around the world to demonstrate for freedom at this year’s annual Free Iran rallies. He wrote: “I am calling on our compatriots, those yearning for freedom in Iran, the supporters of Ashraf in various countries across the globe: If you agree, I am asking you to turn this year’s annual rally into demonstrations in the streets of cities wherever possible. This will be parallel to our people’s protests inside Iran.”

”The 1980 article by ⁦@lemondefr⁩ which said if #Massoud_Rajavi’s candidacy had not been stopped (by Khomeini’s fatwa), he would have won millions of votes & Iran would have seen a different destiny.” #FreeIran #PolandSummit ⁦@StateDept⁩ ⁦ https://t.co/D5daZd4l6B

— Shanaz (@ShanazRx) February 4, 2019

2019 Free Iran Rallies

The Free Iran rally in Berlin is part of a series of events being held this summer by the MEK and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in world capitals in the United States and Europe. Rallies have already taken place in Brussels and Washington, D.C., and upcoming events are scheduled in Berlin, Stockholm, and London. An international conference took place at the MEK headquarters in Albania last weekend. Each rally has been attended by thousands of members of the Iranian Resistance and the MEK and has featured speeches by prominent politicians, dignitaries, and human rights activists from around the world.

Therefore, to those who want to give the mullahs more chances, we say:#FreeIran #Iran pic.twitter.com/3kKQMfKzAP

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) June 29, 2019

The participants at the Berlin Free Iran rally hope to build on the success of the earlier events and to echo the calls for a free and democratic Iran. The Iranian Resistance is asking the international community to recognize the right of the Iranian people to rise up against their oppressors and to specifically recognize the NCRI as the democratic alternative to the theocratic regime in Iran.

Staff writer

Thousands of members of the MEK and the Iranian Resistance gathered in Brussels on June 15, 2019, for the first in a series of Free Iran rallies. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi urged the European Union to impose comprehensive sanctions on the Iranian regime and reaffirmed the strong desire of the Iranian people for a free and democratic Iran in her keynote address at the rally.

The Overthrow of the Regime

Mrs. Rajavi spoke strongly about the rising anger in Iran toward the mullahs’ corrupt regime, noting the parallels between the current situation and the chaos leading up to the overthrow of the Shah.

My fellow compatriots and sympathizers in Brussels, Bravo! Hail to you who extended the long line of protests and activities of resistance units in #Iran to the European Union and #Brussels.#FreeIran pic.twitter.com/w6Q6g0F89I

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) June 15, 2019

“The decadent regime of the mullahs is surrounded by infuriated people fed up with the status quo, to the extent that just like the final days of the Shah’s regime, Majlis deputies openly express their alarm during the parliamentary sessions, one after the other warn against the regime’s calamitous destiny,” she said. “They openly challenge the regime’s president and dare him to eat like the rest of the people for just one month to see if he can tolerate such conditions.”

 

Mrs. Rajavi pointed out that regime President Hassan Rouhani and his ministers say that the current crisis is the worst the regime has faced in forty years of the mullahs’ rule. Rouhani blames Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for the country’s problems, and Khamenei faults Rouhani, but Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that there is little difference between the two leaders.

 

“At the helm, the white turbaned mullah [Rouhani] blames the black turbaned mullah [Khamenei] for the faults, demanding more authority. But Khamenei’s response was that they should prepare to convene a solid Hezbollahi government,” Mrs. Rajavi explained.

“For the people of Iran, however, there is no difference between black turbans and white turbans. They want the overthrow of the entire regime and they cry out, ‘Our enemy is right here,” she added.

Mrs. Rajavi went on to state that the Iranian Resistance would happily welcome anyone who claimed to have an option that could “change the behavior of the mullahs’ religious fascist regime by offering economic and political incentives without budging on the human rights of the people of Iran and their right to sovereignty.”

Recognition of the Iranian Resistance

In her speech, Mrs. Rajavi said that polarization between pro- and anti-regime groups is increasing as the regime nears its final days. She stated that those who wish to preserve the regime or appease the mullahs express concern that any decisive measure will lead to war. Mrs. Rajavi answered these concerns with words from Massoud Rajavi.

“As Massoud Rajavi says, those concerned about the fate of the Iranian regime keep warning against the outbreak of war at any decisive juncture. ‘While the worst likely mistake for the U.S. and the international community to make with regard to the clerical regime is trying to avoid a war,’” Mrs. Rajavi quoted.

If anyone is able to change the Iranian regime’s behavior by economic & political incentives without budging on #HumanRights and sovereignty of the people of #Iran, we would happily welcome and encourage them to change the regime’s behavior as much as they can. #FreeIran

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) June 15, 2019

She continued: “He adds, “Four decades of experience show that the worst mistake is budging and hesitating to hit the head of the serpent with a rock. Without this, i.e. overthrowing this regime, Iran could not be freed. And this is a duty solely on the shoulders of the Iranian people and their Resistance. Therefore, it is imperative to recognize the right of the people of Iran to resist against and overthrow the mullahs’ regime.’”

Mrs. Rajavi stressed that the regime has attempted to preserve their rule by demonizing the MEK, whom they see as an existential threat.

“By demonizing the Mojahedin, the regime seeks to arrange the scene such that everyone concludes that the clerical regime is better and is what the Iranian people deserve,” she said. “So, they would be better off to give up resistance and continue their life in misery.”

A Call to Action

Mrs. Rajavi listed some of the regime’s terrorist activities in Europe in 2018, including attempted bombings in Albania and France, the arrests of regime mercenaries and regime diplomat Assadollah Assadi, and the expulsion of four regime diplomats from Europe. She pointed out that the Iranian Resistance has repeatedly warned that the Iranian regime’s embassies were used to carry out terrorist plots.

She then called on the European Union to take action in light of these terrorist plots and the regime’s past crimes against humanity.

“We demand that the regime’s terrorist diplomat arrested in Belgium be prosecuted as soon as possible. This is the right of Iranian refugees to learn the details of the mullahs’ terrorist plots in foreign countries. And this is requisite to any effort to prevent similar incidents in future,” Mrs. Rajavi said.

 

“We call on the European Union to impose comprehensive sanctions on the theocratic regime ruling Iran, and to designate the mullahs’ Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and their Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) as terrorist entities. The regime’s mercenaries must be tried, punished and expelled,” she added.

We call on the European Union to impose comprehensive sanctions on the theocratic regime ruling #Iran. #FreeIranhttps://t.co/vae0xczcQ3

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) June 15, 2019

Mrs. Rajavi also demanded that the regime be held accountable for the 1988 Massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. “The regime’s leaders must face justice in an international tribunal and account for their crimes against the people of Iran and particularly the massacre of political prisoners in 1988,” she said.

The clerical regime’s leaders must face justice in an international tribunal and account for their crimes against the people of #Iran and particularly the #1988Massacre of political prisoners. #FreeIranhttps://t.co/vae0xczcQ3 pic.twitter.com/XO4UwemX7Z

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) June 15, 2019

Mrs. Rajavi concluded her speech by emphasizing that as the regime becomes weaker, the resistance must grow stronger.

“The sensitivity of the present juncture and the increasing weakening of the clerical regime place the burden of responsibility on the shoulders of each and every one of us,” she said. “Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the ruling regime cannot withstand our nation’s resistance and uprisings and their great Army of Freedom.”

Staff writer

President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Maryam Rajavi, delivered a speech to mark the Iranian new year celebrations. Her Nowruz speech was filled with optimism, as she called on the Iranian diaspora around the world, as well as those living under the repressive regime in Iran, to remain steadfast in their opposition to the regime’s brutality.

She offered particular congratulations to those in Albania, where the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/ MEK) have built a compound complete with shops, meeting halls, dormitories, sports facilities, bakeries, medical buildings, and administrative buildings in just a year. “Let me congratulate you,” Rajavi said.

She spoke with pride about what the Iranian resistance had achieved in 2018, “the year of protests”, “the year in which appeasement failed and the mullahs lost one of their bases for retaining their power.”

Empty Tables

However, Mrs Rajavi also used the Nowruz celebrations to draw attention to the difficulties many face in Iran. “We know that their tables are empty,” she said, “we know that their farms are dry.”

Economic mismanagement and the misuse of public funds has left Iranians struggling to put food on the table. Inflation has skyrocketed. Iranian purchasing power has dropped. Many public workers have not received their wages in several months.

For the farmers, the situation is just as bad. As Rajavi pointed out, their farms have run dry. The mullahs have diverted natural water sources to wealthier areas, leaving farms decimated and agricultural workers in rural parts of the country without the opportunity to earn a basic income.

Maryam Rajavi expressed her solidarity and support for these downtrodden communities. “We are with honest teachers who have been discriminated against and humiliated, sentenced to life below the poverty line and imprisoned,” she said, adding, “we are fighting for the women and children who are burning in poverty and strangulation, especially in the margins of big cities.”

A Regime of Terrorists

Mrs. Rajavi went on to call on the Western powers to add the Iranian regime to their terror lists. “Now it’s time for the devilish force of the Corps (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps) to be on the list of terrorist groups in the State Department,” she said.

“The mullahs have no chance of survival,” she concluded. She described how the regime channeled its efforts to damage the MEK in 2018, “they focused their efforts on terrorism and demonization.” “But [they] failed.”

She echoed Massoud Rajavi’s speech in Rasht, “life is continuous in the future, and everyone who is in the future is alive.”

We want an #Iran which is overwhelmed with freedom, where children and youths are happy, where talents bloom, and where women play their role in the leadership of their society. A country that lives in peace, friendship and coexistence with its neighbors.https://t.co/mHgXlaj9rW pic.twitter.com/zVvRW7j4te

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 20, 2019

She concluded, “the Iranian people want freedom and justice. [They] want equality and independence, trust sympathy and coexistence. They want economic and social progress, [an] Iran in which everyone has a right to work.”

“So, rise!”

The gates of #Iran are open to embrace a future without oppression, inequality and injustice. A republic based on the separation of religion and state; a country ruled by its people’s suffrage and sovereignty, where the people’s votes have the first and final words. #Nowruz pic.twitter.com/uINPhpbj6j

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 20, 2019

Staff writer

On Friday, March 8th, thousands of Iranian-Americans held a demonstration in Washington, D.C. in honor of International Women’s Day. The demonstration was organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) in order to call attention to the Iranian regime’s treatment of women and to ask the United States to recognize the right of the Iranian people to overthrow the oppressive theocratic regime.

The March of Freedom! The voices of demand for regime change, echoing the voices of Iranians inside #Iran #IranFreedomMarch at #DCIranFreedomMarch as the rally starts towards the @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/IA9BNIfy0Y

— OIAC (@OrgIAC) March 8, 2019

Demonstrators at the rally carried banners reading, “Recognize the Right of the Iranian People to Overthrow the Iranian Dictatorship” and “Victory is Certain, Iran Will Be Free.” Others carried signs saying, “Iranian People Want Regime Change,” held large posters featuring images of Iranian Resistance leaders Massoud and Maryam Rajavi, and waved Persian flags.

1_ Iranian Americans participate in a rally held by the @OrgIAC in support of a #RegimeChange in Iran, in Washington, D.C. on March 8, 2019. We support people's uprising for regime change. #DCIranFreedomMarch #FreeIran @RepEliotEngel @RepMcCaul @SpeakerPelosi @GOPLeader pic.twitter.com/cvhyfEQh0b

— OIAC (@OrgIAC) March 9, 2019

Speakers included Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (D.), and former Reagan Cabinet member Linda Chavez.

Maryam Rajavi’s Speech

Mrs. Rajavi’s speech at the event was focused on inspiring the women of the world to support Iranian women in their fight to overthrow the mullahs’ misogynistic regime.

Distinguished personalities, honorable friends of the Iranian people’s Resistance, freedom-loving Iranians, I salute you all.I salute you for your determination to make Iran free, for your love of #Iran’s captive people, and for your faith in the glorious future of Iran#FreeIran pic.twitter.com/2YJ5GKxTDj

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 8, 2019

She lauded the young women of Iran who have stepped up to take leadership roles in the MEK’s ever-expanding Resistance Units. She went on to quote MEK leader Massoud Rajavi, saying, “As the Iranian Resistance’s leader Massoud Rajavi has said, the Resistance Units are ‘the tip of the spear and guiding light for the uprisings. They are the critical component in continuing and guaranteeing advancement and victory. The historic destiny of the Iranian people in their battle for liberation will be decided with the resistance units and rebel cities.’”

Mrs. Rajavi added, “Yes, change in Iran without being organized is impossible. Change in Iran without sacrifice is impossible.”

Rajavi noted that social and economic issues have “grown to catastrophic proportions” under the mullahs’ rule. She described the rampant poverty, water shortages, inflation, unemployment, environmental destruction, and lack of access to health care.

“So long as the clerical regime is in power, none of these ills will be resolved,” she said. “The ruling mullahs will become ever more dependent on their devastating policies, namely the suppression of Iranian society, warmongering and destructive meddling in the region, money laundering, terrorism in Europe and the United States, and plundering the assets of the people of Iran.”

She added, “The velayat-e faqih regime will continue all these policies until the day of its overthrow.”

Iran’s ruling mullahs will become ever more dependent on their devastating policies, namely domestic suppression, warmongering and destructive meddling in the region, money laundering, terrorism in Europe and the U.S., and plundering the assets of the Iranian people.#Iran pic.twitter.com/DirS6o7DDH

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 8, 2019

Mrs. Rajavi emphasizes that Iran is at a turning point in its history. She said, “The regime now faces one of the most difficult periods of its rule. The continued uprisings have destabilized the ruling structure. And there is no going back. Change in Iran is within reach more than any other time.”

Rajavi went on to speak about the democratic alternative for the future of Iran offered by the NCRI and the MEK. She stressed, “There is a democratic and competent alternative, the National Council of Resistance of Iran. A Resistance deeply rooted in Iran which is capable of overthrowing the regime and managing affairs during the transition so that the Iranian people can choose their true representatives through free and fair elections.”

Pay no heed to the absurd assertions of the mullahs and their international supporters who say that with the overthrow of the #Iran regime, there would be no force capable of controlling the situation.#DCIranFreedomMarch #FreeIran#IranRegimeChange

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 8, 2019

Finally, Mrs. Rajavi emphasizes the obligation of the United States and the rest of the world to recognize the will of the Iranian people to overthrow their oppressors. “The international community is duty-bound to respect the struggle of the Iranian people to overthrow the clerical regime. This is essential for global peace and security,” she said.

Rajavi added, “It is time for the State Department to designate the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the infamous Ministry of Intelligence as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). Doing so would be a positive message to the Iranian people, and a decisive message against the clerical regime.”

Reaction of Demonstrators to Mrs. Rajavi’s Plan

According to the Washington Times’ coverage of the event, many of the demonstrators who were interviewed were hopeful that Mrs. Rajavi’s ten-point plan for Iran’s future will prove to be successful.

 

“The fact that this whole event is led by a woman is just really exciting to see,” said a student at the event who was interviewed by the Times. “Gender equality I think is something that every country strives for these days.”

Staff Writer

 

 

 

 

 

Massoud Rajavi, the historical leader of the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK / PMOI) has had a major role in forming the opposition against the religious dictatorship ruling in Iran. Ever since his release from the Shah’s prisons, he started a massive campaign of education to draw a line between the real tolerant and  democratic view on Islam versus the fanatic, and extremist interpretations by the reactionary religious elite that gained the leadership of the 1979 revolution, led by the then Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, who later issued a decree to kill all the supporters and activists of the MEK for that reason.

Massoud Rajavi has been known as the key strategist and leader of the MEK and one of the most popular politicians in Iran’s contemporary history for his dedication to freedom, democracy and standing by the progressive and humanitarian morals the Iranian nation are known for. Below you will find several of many existing quotes by famous politicians that have known Rajavi or have worked with him during the past few decades.

Professor Jean Ziegler, Switzerland, April 2015

One of the things that impressed me most was the letters exchanged between Kazem (Rajavi) and Massoud (Rajavi) which I happened to receive every once in a while. In reading these letters, one could feel an enormous sense of respect on the part of Kazem for his brother but also a sense of deep love. And a mutual sense of trust that would immediately come to fore. It was all too obvious that there was something far beyond political solidarity and cooperation at work between the two brothers.

There was deep affection between the two, brotherhood and mutual understanding without saying a word. And seeing the two together was much too beautiful. It was the image of genuine fraternity. And I think that Massoud gave a lot of energy to Kazem in his struggle. Today, Massoud remains without Kazem but I am sure that Kazem’s memory is a source of energy not only for us, the ordinary combatants but also for Massoud.

Ché Guevara used to say that martyred revolutionaries never die because they are like stars that will continue to shine on to us for centuries after they die.

 

 

 

François Colcombet, founder of the French Judges Syndicate, June 30, 2018

Massoud Rajavi was the last political prisoner released from Shah’s jails before the fall of the monarchical regime. Let us remember that he was twice sentenced to death and Khomeini always considered him to be the regime’s No. 1 enemy because Massoud Rajavi was the only one who confronted the mullahs’ religious dictatorship by calling for a democratic revolution. And the death squads are still after him. Today, Massoud Rajavi’s messages continue to inspire freedom-fighters and freedom lovers in Iran and works as their driving force.

 

 

Giulio Terzi, former Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs

Those who embrace a tolerant pluralistic democratic vision for the society must take the lead. That was a conviction deeply rooted in Massoud Rajavi’s political and moral teachings.

Already in 1983, in a period of extreme violence for the Iranian theocratic revolution and repression against all political opponents, Massoud Rajavi described Islam with these prophetic words: A particular characteristic of Islam we believe in is its democratic nature. This Islam recognizes the rights of other religions, opinions, and schools of thought.

 

 

Dr. Alejo Vidal Quadras, former Vice President of the European Parliament, June 22, 2013

You are the beacon of a resistance which never gets tired and that does not need to rely on foreign powers. I commend President Rajavi for her leadership and also wish to salute the historical leader of the Iranian Resistance, Massoud Rajavi. I hope to meet him very soon in a free Iran.

Massoud and his brave followers have become symbols of perseverance and hope in these dark times of moral relativism and dirty pragmatism.

 

 

Dr. Alejo Vidal Quadras, former Vice President of the European Parliament, December 19, 2012

You are the beacon of a resistance which never gets tired and that does not need to rely on foreign powers. I commend President Rajavi for her leadership and also wish to salute the historical leader of the Iranian Resistance, Massoud Rajavi. I hope to meet him very soon in a free Iran.

Massoud and his brave followers have become symbols of perseverance and hope in these dark times of moral relativism and dirty pragmatism.

 

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khattab, Syrian opposition figure

In 1984, thirty years ago in days like this, we came to this place. There were three or four of us Syrians and the oldest among us was national leader Akram Hourani. In front of us was the Iranian national leader, the lion of Iran, Massoud Rajavi. A number of other members of the leadership were by his side. We had a meeting lasting for 2 or 3 hours and we issued a joint statement.

 

Reza Al-Reza, Secretary General of the Jaafari Shiite Delegation of Iraq

The world will see that the Mojahedin are like a firm mountain that is not shaken by the storms of oppressors of history. Massoud Rajavi’s school of thought is against religious and racist regimes and has drawn a red line with these two issues.

 

Senator Jean-Pierre Michel – France

I would like to remind the 1980 article by Le Monde which said if Massoud Rajavi’s candidacy had not been stopped (by Khomeini’s fatwa), he would have won millions of votes and Iran would have seen a different destiny. This is a clear answer to all those who questioned the support your movement and resistance enjoy in Iran.

 

 

 

Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, September 6, 2014

Le Monde said that Massoud Rajavi had he been allowed to run instead of having a secret fatwa calling for his death would have gained millions of votes including the support of all of the ethnic minorities, women and religious minorities as well.

 

January 20 is the anniversary of the freedom of the last group of political prisoners in Iran under the Shah’s dictatorship in 1979.

This is the day when the motto of “free all political prisoners” became a reality. This was one of the main slogans chanted in popular demonstrations and uprisings under the Shah.

The anniversary of Massoud Rajavi and the last group of political prisoner’s freedom on January 20, 1979, is a reminder of the Iranian people’s resolve in achieving freedom and the perseverance of the PMOI/MEK and freedom fighters of #Iran.#FreeIran

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 20, 2019

The last group of political prisoners incarcerated by the Shah’s regime included two of the most prominent and well-known political prisoners of the time, Massoud Rajavi and Moussa Khiabani.

the remaining leadership of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran- PMOI (MEK) at the time. Those were the days when nationwide popular uprisings against the Shah had broken the spell of repression, and under the public opinion pressure from inside Iran and abroad, the Shah’s dictatorship had been forced to free the last group of political prisoners on the night of January 20, 1979, just three weeks before the fall of the Shah who had fled the country only four days earlier on January 16.

In preparation for their freedom, the last group of political prisoners had already been transferred from the Evin Prison to the Qasr Prison in downtown Tehran.

People had been gathering for days outside the Qasr Prison demanding their freedom. With the flight of the Shah, the last obstacle for their freedom was gone. The Shah later wrote in his memoirs that his greatest mistake was releasing the terrorists [reference to political prisoners] from jail.

One of the great concerns in those days was for the safety of the prisoners who had been held until the last minutes by the Shah’s regime. People feared that the Shah’s secret police, SAVAK, would stage-manage their murders.

The interrogators of the Evin Prison had a record of feeding cyanide to a number of prisoners and killing them.

In another incident on April 19, 1975, the SAVAK set up Bijan Jazani, six of his comrades, and two PMOI members –Kazem Zolanvar and Mostafa Javan Khoshdel—on the hills of Evin and shot them in the back, claiming that they had tried to escape.

On the night of January 20, 1979, people from Tehran and other cities had gathered outside the Qasr Prison waiting for hours, demanding the immediate release of all the remaining political prisoners.

On the other hand, the families of MEK and Fedaii prisoners and other groups of people had been staging a sit-in outside the Justice Ministry in Tehran since a week before, demanding freedom of the last group of political prisoners.

Meanwhile, the regime had declared a state of emergency (curfew). Nobody was allowed to move around the city after 9 p.m. They warned the gathering of people outside the Qasr Prison, firing shots into the air to disperse them. Their threats were not heeded. Angry people clenched their fists and spoke out about their intention to bring down the walls of the prison to free the political prisoners.

Their persistence finally bore fruit and forced the authorities to back down.

Eyewitnesses say that almost two hours before the state of emergency, the Shah’s generals and prison officials went to one of the wards and hastily took away Massoud Rajavi. The measure worried other prisoners in the ward before it became clear that they had taken Massoud Rajavi to the prison’s balcony so that the crowd of people outside the prison would see him. People overwhelmed by seeing that Massoud Rajavi is safe, and they started throwing flowers at him.

One of the Bazaar merchants who was on the balcony with Massoud Rajavi, took the megaphone and told the crowd that all prisoners had received amnesty. Massoud Rajavi grabbed the megaphone and reiterated, “There was no amnesty. Nobody has committed any crime here to be granted amnesty. Everyone can see that it is the people of Iran who are breaking the chains and shattering the prisons. Moreover, if anyone is to grant amnesty, it is us.”

Then, the prison’s warden announced that since there was not much time left to the beginning of the martial law, the crowd should disperse and open the way for the last group of prisoners to walk out. The crowd cried out and nobody moved. Everyone stayed in their place and no one moved.

One of the PMOI prisoners who were among the last group freed on January 20, 1979, described the final hours of their imprisonment. He said:

Later, when everyone was almost ready, Moussa (Khiabani) called everyone to the room at the end of Ward 8 where he always worked.

With a smile on his face, he asked,

“Is everyone ready?” Then he looked around at each and every one of us, one by one. He said, “Massoud Rajavi was busy and he could not personally come to speak to you before leaving. I am conveying his message. As you can see, we are getting freed. This is a gift from our people and the result of the sacrifices made, the blood spilled on the streets. So, we did not gain our freedom free… We are not leaving prison to go after our own comfortable lives.

The form of our struggle might change, but the goal remains the same, freedom and liberation of our people. Until now, we were fighting for this cause inside prisons, and we paid its price by enduring various forms of pressure and torture.

Tomorrow should be doing the same in society. Do not think that the difficult conditions will end by leaving prison. Outside here, fighting (for the cause) is going to be more difficult and would require greater sacrifices.

To maintain the precious freedom, we need to constantly make sacrifices. We have vowed to pay the price (of freedom of our people) at any time. Know that the circumstances are going to be much more complicated. Of course, we will pave the way just as we have up until now thanks to the vigilance, intelligence, and deep faith of our brother, Massoud Rajavi.”

 

Everyone was silent, gazing at Moussa and carefully listening to him. After a few hours, the gates of Qasr Prison were opened. Massoud and Ashraf Rajavi, Moussa Khiabani, and a number of other PMOI and Fedaii members walked out of prison and went directly to the Justice Ministry where people were holding a sit-in.

The next morning, various groups of people went to the residence of Rezaii Family (A famous family in Iran, whom had lost several of their children to the Shah’s dictatorship, including Mehdi Rezaii, who was executed by the Shah’s SAVAK when he was only 19) to pay a visit to the freed political prisoners. They were followed by Ayatollah Taleghani and Medhi Bazargan on the next days who also went there and met with the MEK members.

On January 21, 1979, the Kayhan daily reported on the enthusiastic gathering of the people of Tehran and their warm welcome to the last group of political prisoners:

The area surrounding the prison was filled with excitement until midnight. Relatives and families of prisoners, as well as their comrades and acquaintances who had been waiting impatiently all night with chants of hail to Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), salutes to Fedaii, opened their arms to embrace 125 of the best children of this nation.

Meanwhile, a large group of families of political prisoners were continuing their sit-in at the lawyers’ guild, waiting for their children.

Referring to the moments when the names of prisoners were being read out loud, Kayhan wrote:

“Every name that was read out, the several thousand people in the gathering hailed the prisoner and cried out in happiness. To give assurance to the people on the freedom of political prisoners, one of the prisoners spoke to them directly through a megaphone. Massoud Rajavi who faced overwhelming support of the people said,

‘Are there any words by which one could thank you, people? Indeed, all of us owe our freedom to you, the people of Iran, and not to anyone else or any other particular group.’”

Staff Writer

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK) organized a rally at Amjadiyeh Stadium in Tehran on June 12, 1980, to protest the mullahs’ escalating despotism.  Days earlier Khomeini (the then regime Supreme Leader) had shut down all of the universities under the pretext of the cultural revolution which aimed to suppress the students.

More than 200,000 people attended the demonstration.  Mr.Massoud Rajavi, the historical leader of the MEK, warned the crowd of Khomeini’s creeping dictatorship and urged them to “defend freedoms, freedom of speech, associations, and gatherings.”  He declared the PMOI would not be intimidated.  “We’re not afraid of bullets,” he said, “If freedom means death, then we will die.”19

MEK’s History

Hezbollah thugs tried without success to force their way into the stadium.  They clashed with MEK(PMOI) supporters outside the facility, throwing stones and bricks, while policemen and Islamic Revolutionary Guards stood idle nearby.  When the government forces later intervened, they fired tear gas into MEK (PMOI) crowds and automatic weapons into the air.
As reported by Le Monde, Mr. Rajavi spoke while “fighting continued outside and his words were lost at times in a cacophony of explosions, machine-gun bursts, and ambulance horns.”20

“Do you hear?” Mr. Rajavi asked as he addressed himself to the Hezbollahi (Regime club-wielders).  “We are neither Communists nor pro-Soviets as you claim.  We are fighting for the total freedom and independence of Iran….Freedom is not granted,” he cried as the crowd rose to shout to its feet.  “It is won.  A gift of the Lord, it is as indispensable as oxygen.”21

Members of the audience were attacked as they left the stadium.  Hundreds were injured and five were killed.  As reported by Le Monde, “Shots were fired from nearby roofs and bodies lay on the sidewalks. Young men with bloodied faces were running in all directions.”22

With each passing day, the MEK (PMOI) gained strength while Khomeini’s support drained away.  The Ayatollah openly considered the possibility of defeat, stating on June 17, “Never have I so much feared to see the Islamic Revolution end in failure.”23

On July 25, Khomeini lashed out at the Mujahedin-e Khalq in a radio broadcast, declaring the resistance organization to be the “main enemy.”  Khomeini said, “Our enemy is neither the United States, nor the Soviet Union, nor Kurdistan, but sitting right here in Tehran under our nose.”  The Ayatollah continued:

“The Monafeqin [meaning hypocrites, his pejorative term for the Mujahedin-e Khalq] are worse than infidels.  They say they are Muslims, but they act against Islam….Today, we clergymen are being called reactionaries…and those people [MEK/PMOI] are being called the intellectuals.”24

Khomeini’s speech was interpreted by the Hezbollah and Revolutionary Guards as a green light to destroy the pro-democracy organization.  The MEK / PMOI closed down an additional 30 offices across Iran, hoping to avoid the further “shedding of innocent blood.”25  Weeks later, the mullahs announced a ban on all political demonstrations.

Staff Writer

On Sunday, January 13th, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), spoke at a ceremony in France celebrating the New Year, which was attended by a number of distinguished supporters of the MEK and the Iranian Resistance.

Maryam Radjavi avec des maires et des élus locaux du Val d’Oise et d’île de France lors de la cérémonie des vœux 2019 #Iran #nouvelan2019 #Voeux2019 pic.twitter.com/DvgqlI2NnS

— Maryam Radjavi (@Maryam_Rajavi_F) January 14, 2019

Attendees at the event, which was entitled “Solidarity with the Iranian People’s Resistance and Uprising,” included former First Lady of Algeria Anissa Boumediene, former MP Dominique Lefebvre, Bishop Jacques Gaillot, the mayors of Val d’Oise, several Paris district mayors; and a variety of other notable French MEK supporters.

With the support of freedom-loving women and men like you, and with the endurance of the people of Iran, the Iranian Resistance will establish freedom and democracy in #Iran #NewYear2019 #IranRegimeChange pic.twitter.com/tOrdOiDce7

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 14, 2019

In her speech, Mrs. Rajavi discussed the events of 2018 and then spoke about the current state of the Iranian Resistance and the Iranian regime as a new year begins.

Developments in 2018

In summing up 2018, she said, “The most significant development in Iran was the outbreak of popular protests and uprisings against the mullahs’ regime.

“Everyone saw how terrified the mullahs were. They were particularly scared of the role of the Mojahedin [MEK] in the uprisings.”

MEK-Iran: Our Iran Released Summary of 2018 Protest Movement

Mrs. Rajavi noted, “A significant development in 2018 was the unprecedented isolation of the mullahs’ on the international level. For years, western governments especially the US had adopted the policy of appeasement of the mullahs. Although some in Europe continue to seek to placate the mullahs, the time is over for the policy of appeasement. This is a great setback to the Iranian regime.”

Mrs. Rajavi spoke of the relocation of MEK members from Iraq to Albania: “When Ashraf residents were in Iraq, they were exposed to the danger of massacres and missile attacks by operatives of the Iranian regime,” she said. “Today, however, they have built a small township in Albania, called Ashraf 3.”

Rajavi also discussed the MEK Resistance Units that have worked together to organize the Resistance in Iran. “Today, the Resistance Units supporting the PMOI are the flames of hope in the darkness of the mullahs’ religious fascism,” she said.

The MEK’s Resistance Units are Breathing New Life into Iran’s Opposition Movement

“For this reason,” said Mrs. Rajavi, “One can conclude that the regime has clearly regressed in status and the Resistance has obviously progressed.”

The Regime’s Response

“The mullahs have no solution to offer for the country’s economic bankruptcy,” Rajavi emphasized. “They have no solution for the environmental disasters and for the protesters.”

The mullahs have no solution to offer for the economic bankruptcy. They have no solution for the environmental disasters and against the protesters. They are particularly bewildered in the face of the upcoming uprisings. #Iran #IranRegimeChange #NewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/HQoELIVbMs

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 14, 2019

Mrs. Rajavi went on: “They are particularly bewildered in the face of the upcoming uprisings. Just recently, the mullahs’ supreme leader warned that the enemies are planning for the next year.
This is why the mullahs who are unable to confront the uprisings, have found their only way out in terrorism against the Iranian Resistance.”

Mrs. Rajavi described the regime’s foiled terrorist plots against the MEK in Paris, Albania, the United States, and Denmark last year. She also discussed the mullahs’ latest demonization campaign against the Iranian Resistance.

Mrs. Rajavi then detailed the consequences that the Iranian regime has faced for some of these actions over the past year: “In 2018, France expelled an Iranian regime diplomat and froze the assets and properties of the mullahs’ Ministry of Intelligence.”

She followed with more examples: “Albania also expelled the regime’s ambassador and the Intelligence Ministry’s station chief. And the Netherlands also expelled another two diplomats of the clerical regime.”

Finally, she added, “On Tuesday, the European Union announced sanctions against the Iranian regime’s terrorism and its intelligence services.”

Call for a Firm Policy toward the Regime

Mrs. Rajavi restated the Iranian opposition’s stance on dealing with the mullahs. “We have always urged western governments to be firm against the mullahs’ terrorist dictatorship,” she said. “So, today, we urge them to expel the mercenaries of the mullahs’ Intelligence services and the terrorist Qods Force from the U.S. and Europe.”

She continued: “We also urge democratic countries to support human rights in Iran. The only force which could end the Iranian regime’s terrorism and belligerence is the uprising of the people of Iran with their organized resistance.”

A Free Iran

Mrs. Rajavi then called for the Iranian people’s right to freedom to be recognized, saying, “The time has come for France and the world community to recognize the right of the Iranian people’s Resistance to overthrow the theocratic regime and attain freedom.

With the support of freedom-loving women and men like you, and with the endurance of the people of Iran, the Iranian Resistance will establish freedom and democracy in #Iran #NewYear2019 #IranRegimeChange pic.twitter.com/tOrdOiDce7

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 14, 2019

“In the early days of the New Year, the world must listen to the cries of protesters in Iran. They want freedom and democracy. They want a republic based on the separation of religion and state.”

Mrs. Rajavi concluded, “I am confident that with the support of freedom-loving women and men like you, and with the endurance of the people of Iran, the Iranian Resistance will establish freedom and democracy in Iran.”

On Thursday, December 27^th, Townhall published an op-ed from Bruce Malcolm, the Director of the Institute for Democratic Strategies. Malcolm, an expert in his field, took the opportunity to call on Congress and the Trump administration to take a firmer stance against the dangerous Iranian dictatorship.

Malcolm describes how the regime’s vulnerability was exposed at the beginning of 2018 following the extensive nationwide protests that racked the country in January. As the anniversary of the uprising approaches, “the anti-regime uprising has grown, invisibility and viability, coalescing into a unified movement that now includes virtually all sectors of Iranian society”, Malcolm writes.

Stevenson Calls on EU to End Policy of Appeasement

Since the December and January uprising, which rapidly spread to 140 of Iran’s cities, a steady stream of protests, strikes, and demonstrations has engulfed Iranian society and industry. Truck drivers, teachers, steelworkers, and farmers have periodically left their jobs and taken to the streets to express their dismay and fury at the repressive policies of the mullahs.

Malcolm writes, “driven by disastrous economic policies, skyrocketing inflation, unemployment, political corruption, and the omnipresent repression, their political demands strike to the heart of the matter”.

The regime’s response has exposed the chinks in its armor. It has lacked structure and has little in the way of a strategic plan beyond violence and repression. The regime has demonized and threatened protestors in an attempt to break up the demonstrations. It has also targeted messaging platforms like Telegram and Instagram to prevent the spread of protests. “Contrary to the views of some in the West, his [Supreme Leader Khamenei’s] regime is a fragile, failing state”, Malcolm asserts.

An Interview with Hanif Jazayeri: The Iranian People Have Spoken Loud and Clear

A War of Words

Khamenei and the mullahs have frequently resorted to branding Iranian political dissidents and critics as “terrorists” to turn the tide of public opinion against their political opponents.

Malcolm describes how the regime berates “the leading opposition, the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (MEK)… in an effort to contain the mounting protests in Tehran”.

Alongside a propaganda war against the protestors, 2018 has seen the Iranian regime increase its terror activities against the Iranian opposition and the MEK in Europe. “This year four terrorist plots were uncovered”, Malcolm writes, “including the bombing of an opposition rally outside Paris where tens of thousands were in attendance”.

Following a thorough investigation by the MEK in conjunction with the French authorities, it was concluded that the regime leadership and Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) were personally involved in the coordination and planning of the terror attack. An Iranian diplomat based at the regime’s embassy in Austria was arrested over his involvement in the foiled plot and will face trial in Belgium.

The regime has also expanded its nefarious activities in the US. Two Iranian agents were arrested on espionage charges in the US earlier this year.

A Viable Alternative

Malcolm writes, “the alternative to the Iranian regime is democracy, and the opposition”. The MEK has a coherent ten-point plan for bringing democracy to Iran and ensuring a smooth transition from the autocratic rule of the Supreme Leader to a fully-functioning democracy.

“Iranians want a republic, not an Islamic republic led by the mullahs”, Malcolm writes. “With 37 years of experience and dedication, the NCRI (MEK) has proven itself as the genuine alternative that can achieve democracy and create a free modern society”.

Malcolm concludes, “Iran’s people have reached the end of their rope, and will no longer tolerate a regime built on suppression, financial malfeasance, and terror.” The MEK is gaining traction daily and the mullahs’ days in power are numbered.

Regime Experts Admit MEK’s Major Role in Recent Protests

“This is the time for the US Congress and administration to hold the Ayatollah and his regime responsible for their terrorist acts and human rights abuses, and to endorse the Iranian people’s efforts to achieve democracy and freedom”.

Staff Writer

 

Aaron Merat’s long-awaited hit piece was finally published in the Guardian on Friday. Under the headline ‘Terrorists, Cultists- or Champions of Iranian Democracy’, the piece pedaled the regime’s brand of lies and misinformation. It was a clear example of Tehran’s smear campaign against the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK) that it has used to undermine the Iranian opposition and legitimize its use of violence against political dissidents.

The Death of Independent Journalism

Even before the article’s publication, the MEK expressed its misgivings over its content. MEK spokesperson, Shahin Gobadi, wrote two letters to the editor of the Guardian in recent weeks. In the letters, he aired his concerns over Aaron Merat’s ability to conduct objective journalism on the MEK.

Merat has close ties to the Iranian regime and its lobbyists. He worked for the Economist between 2011 and 2014, during which time he was an outspoken advocate for the regime. He has written previous articles with the explicit intention of demonizing the MEK and condemning the Iranian resistance.

4)
Here’s his relationship with #Iran’s regime, starting with praising FM @JZarif. pic.twitter.com/LHSA9gTyoZ

— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) November 9, 2018

Who is the MEK?

It came as little surprise then that his piece for the Guardian was no different. It was essentially a hit piece against the Iranian resistance group and was full of inaccuracies, falsehoods, and barely concealed attacks on the MEK.

In his very definition of who the MEK are, Merat is incorrect. He described the organization as a “fringe Iranian revolutionary group”.

The MEK is far from a “fringe” group. They are the oldest, largest, and most popular Iranian resistance group.

The group organized nationwide protests in January and December which spread across every major city in Iran. At its annual Grand Gathering event, it draws an attendance of more than 100,000 supporters, including high-profile political figures such as former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, and President Trump’s National Security Adviser, John Bolton.

The resistance group enjoys widespread support inside Iran and abroad.

Merat later seems to admit that the MEK does enjoy the support of international political figures but seeks to explain this by suggesting that the MEK pays “western political influencers fees to pen op-eds and give speeches”.

This is untrue. Professor Raymond Tanter debunked this myth with the help of the US Treasury Department. The Treasury Department investigated the allegations that its political figures had received cash to write opinion pieces and give speeches at MEK-organised events, but found them to be “unsupported claims”.

Ms. Somayeh Mohammadi

Merat’s piece begins by describing Mostafa and Robbie Mohammadi’s journey to Albania to “rescue their daughter”. Merat alleges that Ms. Somayeh Mohammadi, the couple’s daughter, is being held against her will by the MEK.

These allegations are false. Ms. Somayeh Mohammadi joined the MEK in 1990 and has been a member for more than two decades. She has previously been interviewed by Canadian and US officials, and each time she has maintained that she is in Albania working for the MEK out of her own free will.

She has previously written a book about the regime pedaling lies about her situation and using her case to legitimize terror attacks against the MEK. She even went as far as to write an open letter to Albania’s Minister for Internal Affairs, Fatmir Xhafaj, publicly calling for an end to his lies.

Repeating Lies to Demonize the MEK

The Guardian piece goes on to blame the MEK for the deaths of six Americans in Iran in the 1970s.

However, subsequent investigations by both the US State Department and the Washington Post newspaper found this to be false. The 2005 State Department report clearly states, “a splinter organization with ties to Marxist groups in Cuba and Oman… appropriated and modified the MEK name and symbols, clashing with original MEK members, and killed Americans in Tehran”.

The report describes that the individuals responsible for the murders were later caught, tried, and executed for the killings.

Merat also attempts to blame the MEK for killing Iraqi Kurds in the North of Iraq. He claims Saddam Hussein used MEK members to quell the Kurdish armed resistance during the 1990 Gulf War.

The Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) provided a written statement in 1999 that unequivocally stated the MEK was not involved in the killing of the Kurdish people. The statement read “the KDP can confirm that the Mujahedin were not involved in suppressing the Kurdish people neither during the uprising nor in its aftermath”.

Delisting the MEK as a Terror Group

Merat goes on to suggest that the MEK’s delisting as a terrorist group was not because the group was deemed mislabelled and was a non-violent organization, but because if the US didn’t delist them, the group would have been wiped out in Iraq.

Once again, this claim is unfounded. The Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit actually threatened to court order Hillary Clinton’s State Department unless she removed the group from the country’s terror list.

Burying the Regime’s Terrorist Plots

Merat then furthers the regime’s interests by attempting to cast doubt over the regime’s terror activities in Europe. In June, European authorities foiled a plot to detonate a car laden with explosives at the MEK’s Grand Gathering in Paris.

After a thorough investigation, Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat working at the regime’s embassy in Vienna was found to have orchestrated the plot. The French government froze the assets of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.

Merat attempts to shift the blame away from the regime. He quotes the Iranian Foreign Minister directly in his piece, who called the allegations of the Iranian terror plot a “sinister false flag ploy”.

If the plot was nothing more than a “false flag ploy” it seems unlikely that the French government would have taken such forceful actions against the Iranian regime.

On top of seizing assets, the Emmanuel Macron’s government expelled an Iranian diplomat and is currently refusing to nominate a new French ambassador to Iran. France’s foreign ministry also confirmed that following its own investigation, it was in no doubt that the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind the June 30^th terror plot.

The Regime is Fearful

Aaron Merat’s piece goes on to spout all of the regime talking points against the MEK. However, his piece does provide some insight into why the regime spends so much time, money and effort on demonizing the MEK and its supporters.

He wrote, “politicians openly called for bombing the Islamic republic, amid growing panic over Iran’s nuclear program- the existence of which had first been exposed by the MEK”. In this sentence, Merat demonstrates why the regime despises the MEK. It works tirelessly to bring the regime’s atrocities and illegal behavior to light.

Merat writes that the MEK and its supporters around the world “openly call for the overthrow of the Islamic republic and the installation of Maryam Rajavi as the leader of Iran”.

In this one aspect, Merat is correct. But in drawing this to attention, Merat is also drawing to attention why both he and the regime relentlessly pursue the MEK.

The MEK represents the single greatest existential threat to the mullahs’ regime. It has orchestrated nationwide protests that have crippled Iranian regime’s key industries. Even regime officials have admitted publicly that the MEK is a direct threat to the regime.

The MEK has resistance units working inside Iran, that mobilized in the nationwide uprisings in December and January of this year. This has the Iranian regime terrified and explains why they use mouthpieces like Aaron Merat to undermine and demonize the MEK in international media outlets.

New Report Details Iran Regime’s Demonization Campaign Against the MEK

The piece in the Guardian is little more than the mullahs lashing out at the MEK out of fear. The MEK is gathering momentum. Strikes and protests are now a daily occurrence in Iran and the mullahs future in power is growing more uncertain by the day. The fact is, regime change is on the horizon. When it comes, the world will look at Merat’s piece, and others like it and wonder how they got away with such blatant lies and deceit.

Staff Writer