Struan Stevenson, a former Conservative Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Scotland, has been a staunch advocate for Iranian Resistance throughout his political career. Serving in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014, Stevenson held significant positions such as President of the Delegation for Relations with Iraq and chaired the Friends of a Free Iran intergroup.
In this program, Mr. Stevenson reflects on his involvement with the Iranian Resistance which began shortly after his election to the European Parliament in 1999. He recalls an encounter with the Iranian regime’s ambassador, who attempted to paint a rosy picture of Iran. Mr. Stevenson, however, was not swayed, highlighting the harrowing case of a 14-year-old girl who had been raped by a Basij member and subsequently sentenced to death for adultery.
This incident galvanized Stevenson to connect with members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), who were tirelessly raising awareness about the regime’s atrocities within the European Parliament. Over the next two decades, Stevenson maintained a close relationship with the NCRI, a bond that profoundly influenced his political and personal life.
European visit to #Albania exposes #Iran's misinformation campaign
Just returned from a visit to #MEK site in #Tirana with a high-level deleg of MEPs. We were able to move freely around the camp, talking to hundreds of Iranian refugees. Read in @UPIhttps://t.co/EP49BA8I2k— STRUAN STEVENSON (@STRUANSTEVENSON) November 27, 2018
Mr. Stevenson faced significant pressure from Western officials and government members who, under the guise of various issues, sought to distance him from the NCRI to appease Tehran. He recounts a particularly startling experience during the campaign to delist the PMOI from terrorist organizations. In court, he discovered that a supposed junior member of the UK Foreign Office, with whom he had been communicating, was actually an MI5 agent. This revelation underscored the lengths to which UK intelligence services were willing to go to influence his stance on the Iranian Resistance.
Stevenson also shared his frustrations with Javier Solana, the EU’s High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy at the time. Solana repeatedly blocked Stevenson’s attempts to invite NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi to speak at the European Parliament, fearing that her presence would upset Tehran and derail ongoing nuclear negotiations. Stevenson pointed out the irony that the NCRI, the very group alerting the world to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, was being sidelined to appease the aggressor.
Throughout his advocacy, Stevenson developed a deep respect for Maryam Rajavi. He praised her leadership and resilience in severe challenges, highlighting her role in encouraging the Iranian Resistance and its supporters to persist in their struggle for freedom and democracy.
Stevenson also addressed the disinformation campaigns waged by the Iranian regime against the PMOI. He noted the contradiction in Tehran’s actions: on the one hand, they claimed the PMOI had no support within Iran and was insignificant; on the other hand, they invested heavily in defamation efforts and sent assassins to eliminate PMOI members. This dichotomy, Stevenson argued, only underscored the regime’s fear of the Resistance.
Reflecting on his book “Iran’s Democratic Revolution,” Stevenson expressed his belief that the remnants of the former monarchical dictatorship have no future in Iran. He envisions a democratic Iran emerging after the fall of the clerical regime, led by those committed to freedom and human rights. Furthermore, the former MEP shares his thoughts on the death of Ebrahim Raisi, the former Iranian regime’s president and a notorious member of the Death Commission who died in a helicopter crash on May 19. Mr. Stevenson viewed this event as a significant moment in the ongoing struggle against the Iranian regime, symbolizing a potential shift towards justice for those who suffered under Raisi’s brutal tenure.
