She expressed her delight over the great victory achieved in Britain where finally the Parliament ratified the order to remove the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from the UK proscribed list and praised the efforts of the British parliamentarians in this campaign. She also underscored the urgency of getting the PMOI (MEK) out of the EU list.
She expressed her delight over the great victory achieved in Britain where finally the Parliament ratified the order to remove the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from the UK proscribed list and praised the efforts of the British parliamentarians in this campaign. She also underscored the urgency of getting the PMOI (MEK) out of the EU list.
The participants in this meeting chaired by Lord Corbett congratulated Mrs. Rajavi for the great achievement in Britain and expressed their determination to get the unjust terror label removed from the PMOI (MEK) in the EU and other countries. They also expressed confidence that the final victory is imminent and reassured Mrs. Rajavi of the continuing of their support until Iran is freed.
Addressing the UK lawmakers, Mrs. Rajavi referred to the parliamentary debate on June 23 when it was decided unanimously by both Houses of Parliament to remove the PMOI (MEK) from the UK’s list, and said, “I watched the debate last Monday. My feeling was that what we witnessed in the Parliament was a historic and glorious defense of justice and the right of the Iranian people to resistance by the MPs and Peers. It was a formidable line up of proud parliamentarians, speaking out against the policy of appeasement. The Iranian regime had unsuccessfully tried, up to the very last minute, to prevent the deproscription of the PMOI (MEK). Not only did the fail, but you rightly reminded the British government of its obligation to seek the immediate removal of the PMOI (MEK) from the EU terror list.”
Mrs. Rajavi stressed, “You crushed the most difficult barrier and unjust measures. You demonstrated that belief in human ideals and values has no limit. Nothing is impossible. We have a saying in our movement, ‘we can and we must’.”
“I believe with this achievement, you have broken the backbone of the policy of appeasement. That is why I believe even at the European level and in the United States you will have a key role in pursuing the same objective,” Mrs. Rajavi added.
She also noted, “Regarding the EU, Lord Bassam, British Home Office Minister, was very clear when he said in the debate that ‘it would be strange if EU did not follow our lead. They will need to be advised again and reminded that we have now deproscribed and that that order is in effect’. Therefore, you are in a unique position to demand from the EU to end the injustice against the Iranian people.”
Mrs. Rajavi reminded that, “The West has failed to change the mullahs’ behavior or to contain them. Time is running out. The international community must take appropriate measures before it is too late. The solution for this crisis is an Iranian solution, and the Iranian Resistance is the answer to the mullahs. That is why the regime fears the Resistance so much. Two weeks ago, in a joint statement three million Shiites expressed support for the PMOI (MEK) and demanded the eviction of the mullahs’ regime from Iraq. The mullahs’ angry reaction exhibited their utter weakness. Therefore, the West is making a mistake in propagating the false belief that if the PMOI (MEK) is removed from the terror list, the mullahs would become more hostile. This is a miscalculation of the mullahs’ capabilities. On the contrary, recognizing the Iranian Resistance will send a message of firmness to Tehran. I believe the time has come to make sure that Western governments recognize this reality.”
After Mrs. Rajavi’s speech, Lord Corbett of Castle Vale, Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Peers and Chairman of the Iran Freedom Parliamentary Committee, addressed the meeting.
Lord Corbett:
We believed that we will win when we started this battle in both Houses of our Parliament because we had the truth on our side and the government had nothing on its side. This really was a battle between truth and lies.
The facts presented to the courts in Britain spoke for themselves. They dictated one clear verdict and the real test for the British legal system was whether the independence which would like to claim for our judiciary in a highly charged political case like this was going itself to stand that test. Our courts did demonstrate their independence and I have to tell you that our government was deeply, deeply upset.
Last Monday in both Houses of Parliament the ministers were less than generous. They want to be grudging about that, ok, be grudging. Because as Mrs. Rajavi said, we have not finished yet.
It was the UK which talked the rest of the European Union into putting this copycat ban on the Iranian Resistance. Our courts have now swept that aside, therefore it has no legal basis in the rest of the European Union and we will do all we can to see that as soon as we are able that ban is lifted right across the European Union. And then altogether the whole of the EU can turn across to the United States.
Trying to appease the mad men in Tehran has done nothing except take them along the road acquiring nuclear weapons and allowing them murder more British and coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every time a coffin comes off a plane with the Union Jack draped over it, from Iraq or Afghanistan that is a shame on our government because they know who is behind it and the Iranian Resistance have provided the intelligence.
We are not going to go away Madam Rajavi, we are with you on doing our level best to ensure that that new dawn will come in Iran and that proud nation from whom freedom has been stolen by these mullahs deserves better than this. I do not doubt that the overwhelming majority of the people of Iran want a new start, want a democratic country and can take their rightful place among the rest of the international community.
Lord Waddington:
We have got to make sure that the EU does act, the legal basis for the EU ban has disappeared. They must not be allowed to adjourn this matter. Time matters greatly to you, it matters greatly to those who are working to bring democracy to Iran.
I want you to be assured that we will continue working for a cause which we hold very dear. I hope certainly that I will live to see democracy brought to Iran.
Baroness Gould:
I joined the parliamentary committee because I was extremely concerned about what was happening to women in Iran and it has been getting worse.
We look very much to you to give us advice and support to continue with the battle and hopefully the next time we hold this meeting it will be in Tehran.
Lord Dholakia:
The real battle starts now. We have done the right things so far. We are not just talking about an organization which is genuinely interested in Iran, but we can say with full confidence that the only possible force which can replace the Iranian regime is the PMOI (MEK) and we should not forget about that.
We do not want our government and the US to continue appeasement of the regime and we have to end that. I do this first of all because of the people in Ashraf City who are there waiting, and for those who have lost their lives and should never be forgotten why they died in the course of this battle.
I like to join you in celebration on streets of Tehran where I can raise my hands and say the victory is for those who are just and fair and that is you.
Joe Benton MP:
I am in total support of all you are endeavoring to do. I was deeply moved by the activities yesterday [in Villepinte]. I found myself very strangely in tune with everything, I felt a real empathy.
I assure you on behalf of myself and colleagues in the House of Commons and House of Lords you will have our total support and I pray for you and your movement to proceed in the future with success and bring justice back to Iran.
Lord King:
It is important to note that all three major British political parties have come together to fight the evil mullahs who have committed so many crimes against Iranians. The sooner this regime goes the better it would be for everyone.
Yesterday was a celebration for the PMOI (MEK) coming off the list; the next step should be to get the PMOI (MEK) and the NCRI [the National Council of Resistance of Iran] recognized by the EU and finally I hope to see you in Iran to celebrate your victory.
Baroness Verma:
I was hooked to your cause from the moment I heard about it through your representatives. When I first met you in February, I knew then that whatever was happening and we were working for in the UK was right.
The world needs to have a different version of Islam and that is what you and all your representatives are showing that there is a very softer and a very approachable Islam.
I hope to join you in Tehran very soon with the free people of Iran.
Baroness Gibson:
I noticed that there were many women in the rally yesterday. When women unite they can be very powerful. We are watching the mullahs and know what they are doing to our sisters in Iran and we do not like it. We will continue to work for the Iranian women and the men too. I have a message to the mullahs; we know you do not respect women, women do not respect you either, women of the world do not like you and they are watching you.
Ed Grieves, lawyer:
The PMOI’s case in POAC [Proscribed Organizations Appeals Commission] was tremendously a historic event on the legal front. If the rule of law does exist in the European Union, then it would have to de-proscribe the PMOI
Lord Cotter:
People in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States are concerned about the way women and children are treated in Iran and we have to tell them exactly what is going on.
We also have to tell the world about the impact in which the regime has on Iraq and the death toll and what is exactly happening over there.
I like to reassure you Madam President that I am with you solidly like many others. If I may represent many of those parliamentarians who had followed the fantastic lead from Lord Corbett, Lord Waddington and many others by saying that I am sure the increasing support in the Parliament in going to be tremendous now that we have had this great success.
Thank you very much for your wonderful hospitality and all power to the campaign.
Raymonde Folco
Member of Parliament at the federal government in Ottawa in Canada
After the recent victory, we must shift our efforts to Europe, Canada, and the US to remove the PMOI’s name from the terror lists. This is certainly a goal in line with the goal of democracy in Iran. It is in line with the aim of providing the Iranian women with the same democratic rights that, for example, Canadian women enjoy.
Antonio Stango
Chairman of the Italian Radical Party, and head of the human rights organization of Helsinki Watch in Italy
After the great success in the court in the United Kingdom we should urgently proceed in the European Union to achieve the same results. We are working on this and we should campaign in every EU country as soon as possible since time does matter. Europe should not only remove the PMOI (MEK) from the terrorist list immediately but also has to compensate for the damages it has inflicted on the organization and the Iranian people.
It was a shame for Europe and it still exists and we should remove the shame from ourselves in Europe because freedom of Iran is the freedom of all of us. I personally do not feel completely free until 80 million Iranians are free. We will continue with our campaign until we achieve the final success.
Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal Member of House Commons in Canada
As the first Muslim female member of the Parliament in Canada I like to assure you that we will do everything possible to remove the PMOI (MEK) from the terrorist list after your success across the Atlantic.
Tom Wappel, Liberal MP from Canada
I read the verdict by POAC [Proscribed Organizations Appeals Commission] very carefully line by line and I was very much impressed by it. Now that we have the Court of Appeal’s decision and the order to remove the PMOI (MEK) from the list is passed in both Houses of Parliament in Britain, I will go back to the minister responsible for this case with the help of my colleagues in Canada to push for a review to remove the PMOI (MEK) from the list.