NCRI

Brief Report: U.S. Senators Express Support a Free, Secular, and Non-nuclear Iranian Republic 

Shamsi Saadati

iac senate briefing 16032023 1

On March 16, at the doorsteps of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), held a Senate briefing during the seventh month of Iran’s nationwide uprising. Esteemed senior senators from both sides of the aisle, as well as notable figures in policy and politics, convened to discuss U.S. policy on Iran. The event centered around identifying tangible measures that can be taken to support the Iranian people in their fight against the oppressive regime and establish a democratic, non-nuclear, and secular Iran.  The keynote speaker of this event was Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Renowned American politicians praised Mrs. Rajavi’s leadership, her ten-point plan for the future of Iran, and the bravery of the Iranian opposition, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) Resistance Units, acting as the trailblazers of the nationwide uprising. 

In her message to Thursday’s bi-partisan conference, Mrs. Rajavi explained how “The regime is spreading disinformation in Iran and abroad to hinder the progress of the main Iranian force for change, that is echoed by the remnants of the former regime to promote the demonization project.”  

Mrs. Rajavi also stressed that the recent uprising “is not just a passing event, but deeply rooted. In the fight against the mullahs, 120,000 people lost their lives, including 30,000 political prisoners who were massacred in 1988. Ninety percent of them were MEK members and supporters.” 

“This huge loss of life is the price that the Iranian people paid for freedom, and it is one of the significant factors that continue to encourage the protests,” she added.  

Mrs. Rajavi urged the U.S. Senators to “support the Iranian people’s desires.”  

Former National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, General James Jones, was the next speaker who expressed his full support of Mrs. Rajavi and her ten-point plan for the future of Iran. He also stressed that Maryam Rajavi’s leadership and ten-point plan for a democratic Iran have inspired him. Rejecting the inept notion of the return of the deposed monarchy to Iran, General Jones stressed that the recent protests led by women demonstrate the fight against all forms of dictatorship, yearning for a secular republic.  

“This uprising is not simply about toppling the current oppressive regime ruling Iran. It is a struggle against all forms of dictatorship. People yearn for a democratic and secular republic,” General Jones said.  

John Bolton, the former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, was the next speaker. He joined his colleagues in saying that the people of Iran deserve a government of, by, and for the people, and recent events show we’re closer to that than ever.  He also urged the U.S. administration and other Western governments to stop attempting to resuscitate the nuclear deal with Tehran through negotiations.   “The belief that at any point the ayatollahs had ever given up their intention to have nuclear weapons, there’s no evidence whatsoever, none, that they’ve ever made a strategic decision to that. Quite the opposite. Even to this day, they are actively pursuing nuclear weapons and the ballistic missile technology that they need to deliver them,” Ambassador Bolton said.  

“Now is the time to give maximum support to those courageous men and women fighting for their freedom and the freedom of future generations in a democratic, secular, non-nuclear Iran republic,” said former Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, who also praised Mrs. Rajavi’s ten-point plan and how it could affect the future of Iran.  

In his remarks next, former Senator Joseph Lieberman Looked back at decades of courageous efforts for freedom in Iran. He applauded how MEK and NCRI, led by Maryam Rajavi, have persistently fought against authoritarian and repressive regimes. He also made several recommendations to President Biden’s administration:  

  1. Declare the JCPOA is dead 
  1. Invoke snapback sanctions under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 
  1. Work with European allies to personally sanction the regime’s Supreme Leader and President for human rights abuses and for supporting terrorism 
  1. Sanction the IRGC as a terrorist organization 
  2. Strictly enforce U.S. sanctions, including sanctions against all vessels transporting Tehran’s oil and petroleum products 

Among the participants of Thursday’s event was Senator Tom Tillis (R-NC). While praising the role of the Iranian American communities in raising awareness about the situation in Iran, Senator Tillis said: “We have to make sure that we have a very clear vision that the only way Iran changes is when their leadership is gone and that the Iranian people’s voice is heard.”  

During the Senate briefing, Senator John Boozman (R-AR) also took the floor and explained concisely that even while he was in the midst of a vote, he still wanted to meet with the organizers and express gratitude for their great work. Welcoming the prominent guests, he highlighted the importance of this meeting and that there would be no substitute for what is taking place at this gathering.

Assistant Secretary of US State for Political-Military Affairs Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr. also addressed Thursday’s conference, debunking the Iranian regime’s decades-long allegations and talking points against the MEK, which has been rehashed by Tehran’s network of “Friendly Journalists” and other pundits. He also rejected the possibility of the return of monarchy to Iran, which had been marketed by Shah’s offspring, Reza Pahlavi. 

Ambassador Bloomfield Jr. referred to Reza Pahlavi’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference. Outside the hall, Pahlavi’s supporters held photos of Parviz Sabetti, the former number two in his father’s notorious SAVAK security force, with the caption “the nightmare of future terrorists.”  

Quoting a Book by Yves Bonnet, a former head of France’s domestic Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Bloomfield Jr. said, “SAVAK was offered a deal. You lose everything, or you work for us. And they turned into VEVAK. They had people stationed all over Europe. They wanted those connections, and they have been working for the ayatollahs for four decades. So, when you see someone from SAVAK standing up and saying, yes, this is what we want and, you know, get out of my way, you have to dig deeper and understand. Is this what people are risking their lives for?”  

The next and last interlocutor was Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NC), who also applauded the Iranian women’s struggle while expressing support for Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s ten-point plan and referring to the regime’s recent cyber-attack against Albania, where the MEK members are hosted since their relocation from Iraq in 2016. “We’ve got to make sure that we thank those who are providing that kind of safety for what they’re doing and being willing to take on the suffering of the people of Iran and say this is my fight, too,” she added.  

It is worth noting that Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), former U.S. Presidential candidate, also attended OIAC’s program on Thursday and expressed his utter support of the Iranian people’s quest for freedom and democracy.  

Exit mobile version