NCRI – On Wednesday 29 March 2006 the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom held an evening reception in the Strangers Dining Room of the British Parliament to celebrate the Iranian New Year. The Iranian New Year celebrations mark the beginning of spring. It is a time of great joy and family celebrations that are shared by people of all faiths in many countries that trace their history back through the centuries to the ancient Mesopotamian civilisation and the Persian Empire.
At the event, a special ceremonial table was set, called sofreh-ye haft-sinn (literally "seven dishes’ setting," each one beginning with the Persian letter sinn). The number seven has been sacred in Iran since antiquity, and the seven dishes stand for the seven angelic heralds of life-rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.
The event was hosted by the Rt. Hon. the Lord Archer of Sandwell, QC and was attended by over 50 members of both Houses of Parliament from all three major political parties, as well as legal personalities and prominent members of the Anglo-Iranian community in the United Kingdom.
The Rt. Hon. the Lord Archer of Sandwell, QC wished all a very Happy Persian New Year and spoke of his admiration and respect for Mrs Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance, as well as her colleagues in the Iranian Resistance who were leading the movement for a free, democratic and secular Iran. Lord Archer also invited other British Parliamentarians to address the gathering.
Other distinguished speakers included the Rt. Hon. The Lord Renton, QC, The Rt. Hon. The Lord Waddington, QC, former Conservative Home Secretary and former Governor of Bermuda; the Rt. Hon. The Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC, former Scottish Solicitor General and Lord Advocate; Lord Dholakia, Deputy Leader of Liberal Democrats and Spokesperson for Home Affairs; Lord Clarke of Hampstead former Chairman of the Labour Party; Rt. Hon. the Baroness Boothroyd, former Speaker of the House of Commons; the Lord Carlile, Baroness Knight, Lord Joffe, Lord King of West Bromwich, Dr. Rudi Vis, MP; Brian Binley, MP; Andrew Dismore, MP; Malcolm Fowler, Member of Human Rights Committee of Bar Council; and Andrew Mackinlay, MP, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament.
Whilst wishing the Iranian people a Happy Iranian New Year, many speakers spoke of their belief that the Iranian regime is on its last legs and expressed their hope that they could join the Iranian people in celebrating the next Persian New Year in Tehran. Speakers also took the opportunity to impress upon the government the need for a reversal of the policy of appeasement adopted vis-ÃÂ -vis the Iranian regime for over a decade and its replacement with a firm and decisive policy towards the mullahs. They also drew attention to the need to remove the greatest obstacle to democratic change in Iran, the unjust terror label placed on Iran’s main opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran.
