Bill Richardson, a former governor of New Mexico, also urged the international community to act immediately to ensure the safety of Iranian dissidents members of the People’s Mojahedin organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Camp Liberty.
He said of the recent election: “It was not legitimate, because there was no viable opposition. They didn’t even let Rafsanjani run. He’s been one of the pillars of the regime since its inception and he was qualified.”
Mr Richardson described Tehran’s ruling elite as ‘weak and vulnerable’, adding: “It cannot tolerate even one of its own people of Iran for the opposition.
“What this shows is that all of the power in Iran is in the hands of the supreme leader. The president is simply in charge of some logistical work and nothing more.”
He described new president Hassan Rohani as ‘no moderate’ and praised Resistance leader Maryam Rajavi’s vision of freedom of expression, freedom of political parties, the release of all political prisoners, and a halt to the nuclear program and support for the Syrian dictator.
He told a mass gathering of the Iranian Resistance in Paris on June 22: “So what should be done? The answer is simple. The time is now for regime change. Now is the time to support the Iranian people in their quest for freedom and democracy.
“Now is the time to support the resistance movement under Mrs Rajavi’s leadership. The next goal should be regime change.
“The time of the Mullahs is coming to an end. And now is the time for the international community to support the people of Liberty and do everything possible for their security while they’re still in Iraq.”