Live update: International delegations speaking during annual Iran Freedom rally in Paris
20: 12 (GMT+1) : General George Casey, former Commander of the Multi-National Force Iraq (2004-2007) and Chief of Staff of the US Army until 2011, says: "Iran has a destabilizing role in the region, which I have personal experience with. It is by now beyond dispute that the regime in Tehran is fomenting instability and conflict throughout the region, most notably in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Iran’s destructive role in the region must be curbed and deterred. By mid-2006, it was clear to me that the Iranian regime was providing military equipment to Shiite militias.
This support was provided by the Quds Force, and it is directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Coalition Forces and thousands of Iraqis. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror. We could not have more diametrically opposed objectives. Iran’s destructive role in the region must be curbed and deterred; the regime’s support for terror must end."
20: 05 (GMT+1) : Highlights of today's major rally in Paris for Iran Freedom
20: 00 (GMT+1) : Former CIA director James Woolsey says: "In trying to deal with Iran’s nuclear program, we are negotiating with theocratic, totalitarian, genocidal, imperial liars. The reach of the regime’s forces through the Qods Force and Hezbollah and others is not going to stop. It is increasing and will continue. We do not have, in my judgment, a reasonable chance of persuading the ayatollahs to agree with us on any sensible approach toward nuclear weapons. The agreement that is being negotiated is worse than worthless. It will only add to the impetus behind moving toward more and more nuclearization of the Middle East and the outside world. We need to stop that."
19: 33 (GMT+1) :John Bolton, former US ambassador to the UN and Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control, says: The ayatollahs have never been closer to getting deliverable nuclear weapons. They are clearly intent on getting an agreement with the P5+1 that will lock that achievement in. There is no evidence that the people of Iran want the ayatollahs to have nuclear weapons. The NCRI platform has long made it clear that in a democratic Iran there would be no nuclear weapons. The MEK has done more to make the world aware of the clandestine nuclear program of the ayatollahs than anyone else. Negotiations and sanctions have not slowed down the nuclear weapons program at all nor Iran’s offensive behavior, its aide to Hezbollah, Assad regime, Houthis, or the Baghdad government. It is critical that the world understand the consequences of what happened. This agreement is fundamentally flawed. The agreement does not cover the ayatollahs’ ballistic missile program, weaponization efforts. This regime has been lying for 35 years. This deal will legitimatize the mullahs’ enrichment program. The real solution to the ayatollahs' nuclear weapons program is to get rid of the ayatollahs.
Gov. Bill Richardson, former US Ambassador to the UN, US Energy Secretary (1998-2001), former Governor of New Mexico says: This regime has tortured and repressed its people for too long a time. The regime should stop helping Hezbollah, Hamas, the regime in Syria … free political prisoners, free the American marine, the American journalist, and all political prisoners. That would be a start. DO you know where the democratic alternative is? It is right here, it is you. It is democracy, it is the people of Iran that you represent. I’m proud to be with you, this huge crowd.
Judge Michael Mukasey, the 81st Attorney General of the US says: "There has been little outreach by the free world to the Iranian opposition. There should be such outreach. The mullahs’ regime is obsessed with trying to eliminate the PMOI and the NCRI. There is good reason for that obsession. Our governments should cooperate with the PMOI and NCRI and eventually bring about regime change. That is the only way that Iran’s neighbors can live in peace, and the only way that the rest of the world can live in peace is that you, rather than they, are in control.
19: 15 (GMT+1) : Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was a Republican candidate in the 2008 US presidential elections, says: "The ayatollah must go. He and Rouhani and Ahmadinejad and all of the rest of them should be put on trial for crimes against humanity for the thousands and hundreds of thousands of people they have killed, and it is about time we stop ignoring it. Where is our decency and morality? We have allowed this for years, hundreds of thousands of Iranians slaughtered, more being slaughtered today than before. American soldiers killed by the Quds Force. For how much longer are we going to allow this? What happened to the America that supports democracy and freedom?”
“In Syria, we draw red lines, and like cowards, we sit back.”
“We unequivocally support a non-nuclear Iran. What does a non-nuclear Iran mean? It does not mean two months or one year away from being able to have a nuclear missile. It doesn’t mean an Iran that will become a nuclear power in 10 years. What it means is Iran should have no, none, zero nuclear capacity because the regime in Iran can’t be trusted with it.”
“There is an alternative: Madam Rajavi, the NCRI, all of you, and all of the people inside Iran, who yearn for all human beings yearn for: freedom, respect, dignity, an ability to live with the religion of their choice and a country that respects the right of women. How could you make that more clear by having a woman running this organization.”
“I am extremely embarrassed by the fact that my country has broken its promise to people who are now in a concentration camp called Liberty. They lied to us. I am ashamed and I am here to apologize, and we will do everything we can to make good on that promise.”
“I will not support a candidate who does not have the moral fiber and the courage to stand up to the ayatollah and tell him we are going to do everything we can to get you out and you will never become a nuclear power. I will make sure every single candidate is asked: are you for regime change in Iran?”
“To the people of Camp Liberty: you bear the biggest burden. You are conducting yourself with dignity and strength and show us what the future of Iran can be. You show us the character of the people of Iran."
18: 50 (GMT+1) :Elaine Chao, former US Secretary of Labor, says: While other countries are empowering women, Iran has been penalizing women. Seventy-seven fields of study are prohibited for women. To Iranian women: We see you, we hear you, and you are not forgotten. No regime, however repressive or brutal, can stand against fundamental reforms forever.
Col. Wesley Martin, a former commander of US forces at Camp Ashraf who also served as Anti-terrorism/Force Protection Officer of all Coalition forces in Iraq, reiterated his support for the cause of the Iranian Resistance.
18: 39 (GMT+1) : Gen. Shelton as well as Gov. Tom Ridge, former US Secretary of Homeland Security; Louis Freeh, former Director of the FBI; Gov. Ed Rendell, former Governor of Pennsylvania and Chairman of the US Democratic National Committee; and Frances Townsend, former Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush, read out a new declaration by nearly forty prominent Americans including former senior US civilian and military officials and governors calling for a more comprehensive policy approach toward Iran, including dialogue with the Iranian opposition.
On the nuclear issue, the statement says that a peaceful solution “cannot be achieved by making concessions to Iran but rather by making clear that Iran will be denied any potential opportunity to obtain a nuclear bomb.” They underscore the necessity of clarifying “Possible Military Dimension (PMD) activities of Iran before a comprehensive deal can be signed.”
On the crisis in the region, the US dignitaries state that “Iran’s destructive role throughout the region must be curbed and deterred. Far from being part of the solution, Iran is a major part of the problem.”
“We call on our government to break the stalemate and engage in respectful dialogue with the Iranian opposition, consistent with our country’s policy of dialogue with all political groups. Whatever the outcome of nuclear negotiations and in virtually any possible scenario, the wishes of the Iranian people and their desire for change must be taken into consideration.”
The authors of the four-page statement further express their support for the 10-point plan for the future of Iran long advocated by Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi which will, they state, “restore political legitimacy through universal suffrage, guarantee rights for all citizens and particularly women and minorities, end the cruel excesses of the judiciary and establish the rule of law, end the nightmare of fundamentalist Islamic dictatorship by once again separating church and state, protect property rights, promote equal opportunity and environmental protections, and – last but certainly not least – seek a non-nuclear Iran, free of weapons of mass destruction.”
18: 25 (GMT+1) : General Hugh Shelton, former Chairman of the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff says: "Far from being a part of a solution [to the Middle East crisis], Iran is a major part of the problem. There should be no direct or indirect cooperation with Iran under the pretext of fighting ISIS. Iran has been a major engine of Islamic extremism and fundamentalism. It is globally recognized as the primary sponsor of terrorism. We should be more vigilant and more vocal about human rights abuses by the regime. Our failure to stand for basic principles and rights only encourages the regime to violate them further with impunity. Nuclear negotiations must not inadvertently provide an undeserved veneer of legitimacy. A successful policy toward Iran and the Middle East cannot be based on denial of these realities.
18: 11 (GMT+1) :Gissoo Shakeri, an Iranian dissident singer, poet, and writer who is also a women’s rights activist is now performing an Iranian classical song. Shakeri started classical singing in 1980.
18: 09 (GMT+1) : British Conservative lawmaker David Amess MP says: “I am inspired by Madam Rajavi’s leadership. In particular, I am inspired by her 10-point plan for the future of Iran.” He expressed hope that the 10-point plan can someday be implemented in Iran by Mrs. Rajavi.
17: 55 (GMT+1) : Steve McCabe, Member of Parliament from the UK's Labour Party, says: "Opponents of this Resistance say it doesn’t have support among the Iranian people. Look at the people here today from all over the world. If the PMOI does not have support, where do all these people come from? If it does not have support in Iran, how do we know about the mullahs’ nuclear program? We know because ordinary Iranians have risked their lives to pass this information to the NCRI. If this resistance does not have popular support, why do the mullahs fear it so much? I’m very proud to stand here today as part of the British delegation, to stand with Iranian friends, to call for the end of this theocracy which is destroying the lives of ordinary Iranians. I call on the British government to support the people of Iran. Allow real opposition to flourish. Support Iranian demands for open and democratic elections. Let’s join together to back a free Iran."
17: 53 (GMT+1) : Rt. Hon. David Jones, UK Member of Parliament and former Secretary of State for Wales, says: "It was a shameful decision to brand the PMOI a terrorist organization. That was a profoundly wrong decision by the UK, U.S., and the EU, which set back the cause of democracy in Iran by many years. It was your leader, Marayam Rajavi, who decided to challenge that unfair proscription in the courts. She placed her trust in the independence of the judiciary in the US, UK, and the EU. And she succeeded to have the PMOI de-proscribed."
17: 50 (GMT+1) : The Rt. Hon. Lord Peter Goldsmith, QC, former Attorney General of the UK says: You are here today to demonstrate your commitment to human rights, to democracy, to the rule of law, and to a free Iran. I’m proud to be one of those here with you, not only because your cause is right for Iran and the people of Iran, not only because it is wonderful to be celebrating and looking forward to liberty … but also because what you are calling for is right for the rest of the world. To tackle extremism and Islamic fundamentalism is something that we have to deal with as well. It is our fight for survival, too. The regime in Tehran is perhaps the biggest part of the promotion of extremism and terrorism. ... With the NCRI, with your hugely impressive president, we see how the Muslim world … is taking on the challenge. So, today, as I attend this extraordinary meeting, I’m inspired and utterly impressed by your commitment. You are sending a clear message to the world about your need for freedom and democracy. The world needs to hear it because it needs the same thing that you need.
The UK Parliamentary and legal delegation is now speaking.
17: 11 (GMT+1) : Narges Azdanlou, Member of the PMOI's Central Committee, now speaking: "This is the generation that raises the banner of “We can and we must.” The PMOI is the only hope of the Iranian people for the establishment of freedom and democracy in Iran. It was thanks to the leadership of Maryam Rajavi that throughout these years, especially the last 12 years, the PMOI stood tall and overcame all obstacles. We will persevere and we vow to build a thousand Ashrafs and armies of liberation to overthrow the caliph of fundamentalism and terrorism."
17: 01 (GMT+1) : Video message broadcast from U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee: "Your cause is our cause and your fight is our fight. ... Iran is setting fire to sectarian tensions in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon."
The Iranian regime is the "true epicenter of radical Islamic extremism in the world.”
Sen. McCain said the PMOI members at Camp Liberty are in danger and the Obama administration is taking far too long to relocate them to safety. He vowed to introduce legislation to protect the residents of Camp Liberty.
16: 59 (GMT+1) : US Rep. Robert Pittenger says: "We stand with you in solidarity against three decades of tyranny and against Islamic extremists. We stand against a nuclear agreement. We, the American people and Congress, will make sure that we have the final word on any nuclear agreement with Iran. We stand against the role the Iranian regime has played to spread terrorism around the world. I congratulate Madame Rajavi for her leadership."
16: 53 (GMT+1) : US Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, says: "Lovers of liberty, I salute you. I see a day coming when thugs riding motorcycle will not beat peaceful people up in streets in order to silent them in Iran. I see a day when no longer will women asking for their rights be thrown in the jail, beaten and raped and murdered. I see a day when elections will be held in Iran, and the mullahs won’t be choosing the candidates. I see a day when the people of Camp Liberty will be welcomed home in a free Iran as heroes. Today, it is my honor to join you, to remind the corrupt mullahs ruling Iran today that their day is coming, and it will come soon. I am here to join these brave people who struggle for liberty."
"We in the U.S. Congress will not be satisfied with negotiations that leave in power brutal corrupt tyrants who hold power because of their hold on aggressive and fanatical beliefs. “We will not back away from your cause.” That nuclear reactor that is taking up so much of our time is not the issue. The issue is whether or not the mullahs stay in power. It’s whether we are going to have regime change in Iran that counts. As long as the mullahs are in power, it makes no difference whether or not you have a nuclear reactor because mullahs can obtain nuclear weapons from elsewhere. This has been a ruse. I say now is the time we must work together, to stand tall. I am proud to stand with you today, God bless you, and God bless your cause.”
16: 51 (GMT+1) : Robert Torricelli, former Member of the US Senate, reiterates his commitment to supporting the cause of freedom and democracy in Iran.
16: 40 (GMT+1) : Günter Verheugen, former Vice President of the European Commission (2005-2010), says: "The main source of violence and oppression in the region is in Tehran. And there is only one viable option to bring peace to the whole region: the mullahs have to go, and there should be a democratic Iran, which will fully respect the common human values, freedom, democracy, rule of law, and protection of human rights. This will not be achieved if policymakers appease the rulers of Iran. The only way to get rid of the nuclear threat is to get rid of the regime itself. We have a credible alternative, which is supporting the democratic opposition, the movement that is assembled here this afternoon in Paris, showing the world that change in Iran is possible. It can be done, as President Rajavi said. ... Our governments have to make a choice, which is not a difficult one. We call on them to choose the side that represents freedom; choose the democratic opposition in Iran.
16: 32 (GMT+1) : Bernard Kouchner, former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, says: Today, we have heard a message of hope. Nothing is ever going to stop you in your march toward democracy. Women have a huge role for bringing about democracy in Iran. We should pay tribute to Mrs. Rajavi for her efforts to champion this role for women. ... You have fought over 50 years for democracy, and Maryam Rajavi paved the way. In France, we should support this fight.
16: 30 (GMT+1) : Michele Alliot-Marie, former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Justice and Home Affairs, speaks in support of Mrs. Rajavi's movement for democracy in Iran.
16: 00 (GMT+1) :
Cheers here for @Maryam_Rajavi demand for #IranFreedom pic.twitter.com/n7ylHZCE9V
— Frances Townsend (@FranTownsend) June 13, 2015
In Paris with 100,000 Iranian freedom fighters. #Iran_Maryam
— Linda Chavez (@chavezlinda) June 13, 2015
15: 55 (GMT+1) : Mrs. Rajavi: And now, our Resistance ... has arisen to ensure freedom of choice for each and every one of our fellow Iranians.
We have rejected the ruling tyrannical regime. We have rejected forcible and misogynous religion. We have rejected the Constitution of the velayat-e faqih.
Our Constitution is freedom, democracy and equality.
This Constitution is founded on a free, tolerant and advanced republic. It is founded on pluralism, separation of religion and state, women’s equality and their active and equal participation in political leadership.
We believe in equal rights for all ethnic and religious minorities and a society devoid of torture and executions.
15: 45 (GMT+1) : Mrs. Rajavi: Over the past three decades, the mullahs have endeavored to annihilate the Resistance movement more than anything else. ... We all recall that in an attempt to crack down on the June 2009 uprisings, the regime first attacked Camp Ashraf.
Similarly, the morning after his defeat during the Presidential elections in 2013, Khamenei ordered a rocket attack on Camp Liberty. And two years ago, when he decided to sign the nuclear accord, he ordered that Ashraf residents be massacred.
The mullahs' real aim is to annihilate the residents of Liberty or their surrender to the regime. This explains why the regime is hindering their relocation out of Iraq.
On the other hand, by repeatedly violating international treaties and reneging on their written obligations toward the Ashrafis, the U.S. and the UN have in practice sided with the religious fascism ruling Iran.
I once again call on the US and the UN to take urgent action to protect the Camp Liberty residents and put an end to the medical and logistical siege of the camp and its prison-like conditions.
If the United States does guarantee that the PMOI is protected against attacks by the terrorist Quds Force, it must, at least, return part of its member’s personal arms for self-defense and protection purposes.
15: 45 (GMT+1) : Mrs. Rajavi: Indeed, the ruling theocracy has rotted at its core. All signs point to the end of this decadent regime.
Today, the clerical regime has fallen into the trap of three regional wars, in which it can neither advance nor retreat.
In Syria, what the mullahs built is teetering because it was erected on quick sand. Although the clerical regime has spent 35 billion dollars annually to prop up Bashar Assad, today the Syrian dictator is grasping for air.
In Iraq, the clerical regime lost its puppet government of Nouri al-Maliki. This was the beginning of the regime’s demise not only in Iraq but also throughout the region. For if the mullahs lose Baghdad, their rule in Tehran will be in peril.
Today, under the pretext of fighting the ISIS, the Quds Force is committing genocide. But it is incapable of restoring the regime’s lost status in Iraq.
And in Yemen, Khamenei sought to take over the country to gain the upper hand during the nuclear talks and amid the regional crisis. It, however, turned the largest regional coalition against Tehran, an unprecedented development in the past 25 years.
When Bashar Assad is toppled or when the regime’s forces are defeated in Iraq or in Yemen, the regime's entire front in the Middle East will collapse. This decadent regime lacks the capability to advance in these three wars.
On the other hand, if it retreats, it will implode. As such, its only remaining path is defeat and overthrow.
Today, western policy makers stress that ISIS and Bashar Assad are the two sides of the same coin. I add that the Caliph in Tehran is the godfather of both of them.
The fact is that ISIS emerged out of the atrocities perpetrated by Bashar Assad and Maliki committed on orders from the clerical regime.
I therefore call upon western governments to refrain from taking sides with the Tehran regime.
In Iraq, do not collaborate with the regime’s Revolutionary Guards Corps and the so-called Shiite militias who are a hundred times more dangerous than the other henchmen.
The solution in Iraq is to evict the mullahs' regime forces, to empower Sunni power-sharing, and to arm the Sunni tribes.
The solution in Syria is to evict the Iranian regime’s forces and to support the people of Syria in overthrowing Assad's dictatorship.
The solution in Yemen is to stand up Tehran, as the Arab coalition has already done. This must be pursued until the regime is uprooted all across the region.
Indeed, the solution is to evict the Iranian regime from the entire region and to topple the Caliph of regression and terrorism Iran.
15: 39 (GMT+1) :
An overwhelming outpouring all cheering & demanding #IranFreedom @iran_policy pic.twitter.com/VI574pA6ET
— Frances Townsend (@FranTownsend) June 13, 2015
15: 31 (GMT+1) : Mrs. Rajavi: The nuclear program that projected the power of the velayat-e faqih regime for the past quarter century is now a source of the mullahs’ weakness and impasse. In the words of his foreign minister, the regime's strategic capacity has been eroded. This explains why the Geneva Accord destabilized the regime and the Lausanne Agreement destabilized it even further.
Khamenei could not agree to a comprehensive deal with the P5+1. He says, “I neither agree nor disagree.” This means that his regime is at an impasse.
The same situation prevails as pertains to the final, comprehensive agreement. Whether or not Khamenei agrees to it, the regime cannot escape the prospects of being overthrown.
I should therefore remind western governments that the Iranian people and Resistance will not accept any agreement that does not dismantle the regime’s bomb-making infrastructure.
UN Security Council resolutions must be implemented fully.
Uranium enrichment must be halted completely.
And the regime must provide answers to the military dimensions of its nuclear project and make its nuclear experts available for IAEA questioning.
P5+1 Leaders, If you do not want a nuclear-armed fundamentalist regime, stop appeasing it. Do not bargain over the human rights of the Iranian people and recognize their organized Resistance which is striving for freedom.
You are gravely mistaken in thinking that there is no solution. There is a solution for ending the mullahs’ nuclear weapons program: regime change by the Iranian people and Resistance.
15: 27 (GMT+1) :Look at Iran as it has risen up today. It is inflamed and seething despite 1,700 executions during Hassan Rouhani’s tenure:
─ The uprising in Mahabad and the protests in Sanandaj, Sardasht, Saqqez and Marivan, reflect the courage and rebellion of Iranian Kurds in the face of crime and injustice.
─ Successive demonstrations by teachers all across our nation echo the cries of those who have been ignored and have now risen up for the right to life and right to freedom;
─ The demonstration of the people of Iranshahr is a cry for justice by the wounded and deprived humanity in Iran;
─ The daily strikes and sit-ins by workers resonate the outcries of starving families nationwide;
─ Dozens of armed clashes involving young Baluchis, Kurds and Arabs reflect the fury of an enchained nation which has been denied of any means to protest;
─ Hundreds of hunger strikes and protests by political prisoners, embody the perseverance of a nation that has defeated the mullahs even in torture chambers;
─ The sit-ins of the mothers of death-row prisoners, the protests of Gonabadi and Ahl-e Haq dervishes, and the suffering of impoverished street venders are the rumblings of a mountain about to erupt.
Look at today's Iran. Do you see any Iranian not discontented or not wanting change?
The 15 million deprived and destitute citizens languishing in shanty towns in the suburbs, the 10 to 15 million young people who cannot find jobs and the millions of families feeling the heavy burden of high prices, all of them, demand major change.
15: 25 (GMT+1) : Mrs. Maryam Rajavi speaking now:
The people of Iran neither want nuclear weapons, nor meddling in Iraq, Syria or Yemen, nor despotism, torture and shackles.
The people of Iran are the tens of millions of enraged teachers, students, nurses and workers who demand freedom, democracy, jobs and livelihood.
They say: First, the velayat-e faqih regime has reached the end of the line.
Second, the only way to end the violations of human rights in Iran, the nuclear impasse, the crises in the region, and the confrontation with ISIS, is to topple the Caliph of regression and terrorism in Iran.
15: 20 (GMT+1) : The crowd is overwhelmed with joy and fervor as Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, takes the podium. There are ecstatic cries of “Iran Maryam, Maryam Iran” by thousands upon thousands. Truly a magnificent sight.
15: 10 (GMT+1) : A large number of Iranian youths come on the stage. They echo the voice of the young generation in Iran eager to liberate themselves from suppression.
H.E. Rabiha Diab, former Minister of Women’s Affairs of Palestine, calls for international recognition of the Iranian Resistance under the leadership of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi.
15: 05 (GMT+1) : A large Arab delegation, comprising dozens of lawmakers and political dignitaries from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Yemen, and a delegation from Syria’s democratic opposition are in attendance in the largest-ever gathering in support of democracy in Iran.
The Iranian Resistance has repeatedly warned that the Iranian regime is the primary instigator of sectarian violence and instability in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, and has demanded that the international community evict the regime from the region.
A majority of lawmakers from the Parliaments of Bahrain and Jordan have signed statements in support of the goals of the Iranian Resistance and calling for international protection for members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Camp Liberty, Iraq.
14: 50 (GMT+1) : Mr. David Campbell, the current Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq, calls for protection for Camp Liberty residents.
In an arousing speech, Mr. Stevenson questions the US and UN’s inaction in protecting the Iranian dissidents in Camp Liberty, Iraq.
Mr. Stevenson: “Let me ask the United Nations a few questions about Camp Liberty? Why do they call Camp Liberty a Temporary Transit Location when the refugees have been forced to live there for 41 months? WHY? Why do they refuse to call it a refugee camp? WHY? Why have there been no enquiries into the massacres of these innocent, unarmed civilians that took place in Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty? WHY? Why have they allowed a medical siege of this refugee camp to continue unchallenged for years? WHY? The 2500 refugees in Camp Liberty are the flag-bearers for the future of Iran. They are heroes. I call on the US and the UN to protect these people, not to betray them.”
Struan Stevenson, who represented Scotland in the European Parliament from 1999 until 2014, and was Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq (2009-2014), is now addressing the audience. Stevenson, who this year authored a book entitled "Self-Sacrifice: Life with the Mojahedin", is now president of the Brussels-based institute European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA) which has revealed numerous cases of meddling and crimes in Iraq by the Iranian regime and its affiliated Shiite militias.
The Euro MPs who represent all political groups in the European Parliament and are from all 28 member states of the European Union added “Iran needs to adhere to all UN Security Council resolutions with regard to its nuclear program and it should respond to all outstanding IAEA questions while allowing intrusive inspections of all its military and non-military sites whether declared or undeclared.”
“Iran is at the heart of the crisis in this region and not part of the solution. If fundamentalism and extremism is to be uprooted in this region, Iran’s destructive influence and interference should end,” the MEPs declared.
The European lawmakers stressed support for an alternative plan presented by Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi for the future of Iran which calls for “a democratic pluralistic republic based on universal suffrage, freedom of expression, abolition of torture and death penalty, separation of church and state, a non-nuclear Iran, an independent judicial system, rights for minorities, peaceful coexistence in the region, gender equality and commitment to Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
They also called for protection of Iranian dissidents who are held in prison-like conditions in a camp in Iraq. “Protection of Camp Liberty residents must be secured and ensured by Iraq, United States and the United Nations. Camp Liberty needs to be recognized as a refugee camp and its siege, in particular its medical blockade, must be revoked in its entirety.”
The signatories of the statement include 4 vice-presidents of the European Parliament as well as 16 Committee and Delegation chairs.
Mr. Gérard Deprez, chair of the Friends of a Free Iran group in the European Parliament, announces that the 220 MEPs have sent a statement to EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, slamming the mullahs’ gross human rights violations and demanding that they “end the executions, free political prisoners, stop the repression of women and respect the rights and freedoms of the Iranian people.”
Dr Alejo Vidal-Quadras, former Vice-President of the European Parliament (1999-2014) and current President of the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ) is cheered by the crowd as he begins his remarks. He calls on the UN and US to live up to their obligations to protect the Iranian dissidents in Camp Liberty.
A number of Members of the European Parliament, from various political groupings go on the stage to declare the support of 220 MEPs for the Iranian Resistance to bring about regime change.
Members of the French youth movements have been invited to the platform to announce their support for the Iranian people’s Resistance for regime change and freedom.
Senator Alain Néri, chairman of the French Committee for a Democratic Iran (CFID) and Mr. Jean-Pierre Muller, mayor of Magny-en-Vexin and co-President of the Committee of French Mayors in Defense of the Ashrafis address the rally.
French Socialist lawmaker Dominique Lefebvre, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for a Democratic Iran (CPID) in the National Assembly, is being applauded as he begins his speech.
“François Mitterrand was on the right side of history when more than 30 years ago, with his Foreign Minister Claude Cheysson, he welcomed Massoud Rajavi and the Mujahedin-e-Khalq on French soil; and we are now supporting Maryam Rajavi in her struggle for a free Iran, free of the darkness of extremism in the name of Islam”, says Gilbert Mitterrand.
He is flanked by François Colcombet, former judge and MP; ex-Senator Jean-Pierre Michel; Alain Vivien, a former deputy Foreign Minister; Yves Bonnet, former governor and head of the French domestic intelligence agency DST; Pierre Bercis, founding president of the French human rights group New Human Rights (NDH); Jean-Pierre Brard, former MP and Mayor of Montreuil; and Gilles Paruelle, former head of the Bar Association in Val d’Oise.
Mr. Béquet announces the support of French MPs, Senators and Mayors for the cause of the Iranian Resistance.
A short film is shown using silhouettes highlighting the incredible operation orchestrated against the Iranian Resistance by the mullahs in 2003.
Mr. Jean-Pierre Béquet, former mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise, a very close friend of the Iranian Resistance, begins his remarks. The crowd is chanting “Jean-Pierre merci”.
The French delegation goes on stage to make their speeches. The delegation is led by Gilbert Mitterrand, son of the late French President François Mitterrand and head of the human rights group France Libertés, Mr. Dominique Lefebvre, a member of the French National Assembly; Senator Alain Néri and a number of French mayors.
Linda Chavez, former White House Director of Public Liaison, says: “The people of Iran want change. The international community must respect the desire of the Iranian people. A good first step is to recognize the National Council of Resistance of Iran led by Maryam Rajavi, which is the largest and most pre-democratic alternative.”
Event moderators are on stage now welcoming the crowd. Linda Chavez, former White House Director of Public Liaison, and Rama Yade, former French Secretary of State for human rights
The Iranian Resistance’s annual #IranFreedom rally in Paris has just commenced. There is a huge turnout, as Iranians and their international supporters are pouring into Villepinte exhibition centre from around the world. Hundreds of international political personalities and lawmakers are attending.
10:51 (GMT+1) : Reporting live from the scene of the grand gathering of the Iranian opposition. Every year Iranian and international supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran and it’s President-elect Maryam Rajavi, gather in Paris to take a stand and send a message to the world that “there is another face” of Iran; a face of tolerance, unity, and freedom.
To prepare the hall for the event, from early morning many Iranian opposition supporters are present at the scene to make sure the event goes smoothly.
10:34 (GMT+1) : Today's Iran Freedom rally in Paris has been supported by Iranian political prisoners in various Iranian jails. A group of political prisoners issued a statement urging all Iranians abroad to participate in the gathering and call for a regime change in Iran. The political prisoners in Gohardasht, Evin, central Karaj and Ahvaz prisons called on their countrymen and women to be the voice of oppressed people of Iran, the voice of political prisoners and the voice of those who have been executed by the mullahs in Iran.
In the statement, the political prisoners said: “Hail to all supporters of Resistance and Perseverance. Hail to those who accept all the hardships to take part in the (June 13) gathering to be the voice of oppressed Iranian people and the voice of political prisoners and finally the voice of Iranian youths who are being hanged en masse in order to be silenced but the cry of ‘no to dictator’ becomes louder and clearer every day.”
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10:30 (GMT+1) : 15 Nobel laureates have expressed their support for today’s gathering and its objectives in a joint statement.
09:52 (GMT+1) : Fox News interview with Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi
Iranian opposition leader: Mullahs are masters of deception
Jun. 12, 2015 - 10:22 - Eric Shawn's full interview with Maryam Rajavi
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