“To this end, the United States should remove the terrorist designations of the main, democratic Iranian opposition groups. The evidence behind such designations is specious, and the hampering of the democratic opposition jeopardizes U.S. national security interests,” he reiterated.
Speaking on Dr. Martin Luther King Day, Professor Tanter explained King’s position on human rights abroad, which is based upon one fundamental principle: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
According to Prof. Tanter, "It was Dr. King’s commitment to fighting injustice that led him to champion the cause of the African National Congress in South Africa. To this end, Dr. King issued a joint statement with ANC President-General Albert Lutuli in 1962 and spoke out in 1964 about the jailing of Nelson Mandela at the notorious Robben Island prison."
Prof. Tanter went on to describe how impressively Dr. King’s legacy continued after his death: "The ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. were a critical source of inspiration to democratic movements behind the Iron Curtain. Both Solidarity in Poland and Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia adopted Dr. King’s ‘Letter from Birmingham City Jail.’"
On human rights and democratic opposition in Iran he said, “The main opposition groups, the Mojahedin-e Khalq and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in stark contrast to the regime, are democratic, inclusive of women, and have as one of their highest missions the protection of human rights in Iran. In fact, NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi has looked to Dr. King’s Birmingham Letter as a source of inspiration as the Iranian people are terrorized by those ruling Tehran."