Reuters TV Coverage – June 30, 2007
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Excerpts from Mrs. Rajavi’s speech – June 30, 2007
Text in French Text in Deutsch
The uprising of the past few days which began with a fuel crisis is the true picture of a discontented society on the verge of exploding. It is a vivid testimony of the Iranian people and their will to end the mullah’s rule. These events mark the beginning of the final phase of the regime’s fall, proving the failure of the appeasers who wished to maintain or empower the mullahs. The wave of protests within Iran has confirmed that mullahs are sitting on a powder keg. Those claiming that international sanctions would shift public opinion in favor of the mullahs need to open their eyes, and see the current popular uprising. All of this is happening despite the terror listing of Mojahedin, which gives the mullahs the ability to contain the crisis in their favor. We can visualize what the atmosphere will be in Iran, when this terror listing of Mojahedin is crushed.
On January 30, the Council of Ministers approved the continued listing of Mojahedin on the terror list and asked PMOI to provide reasoning for its objections to the allegations within a month. The decision to maintain Mojahedin on the list was a violation of the law and likewise, their request for documentation was not only hypocritical, but also a misleading scheme. In subsequent documents from the Council of Ministers, Britain’s Prime Minister’s office, and the Office of German Chancellor, it became clear that on December of 2006, the Council had already decided on maintaining Mojahedin on the list. A decision which was later reaffirmed in February, and April of 2007.
After 7 months of deception and concealment, the file was rubber stamped at the meeting of the Environmental Ministers. They were choosing among two choices here. One was the removal of Mojahedin from the list of terrorist organizations, and with it, their ties with the mullah’s regime. The other was to shamefully break the law, and cooperate with the Iranian regime. They chose the disgraceful later option: a dishonorable collaboration with the godfathers and financiers of International terrorism.
Iranian resistance is the most important and effective solution to the challenges of both Iran and the region. It is for this reason that Khamenei feels a greater threat from the Mojahedin of Camp Ashraf and the Iranian resistance, than the U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, or the international pressure.
In this month’s response to criticism from U.K. parliamentarians, Britain’s Foreign Office warned them that attempts aimed at removing the Mojahedin from the list will destabilize the regime. This is truly at the heart of the dispute. By choosing to maintain the Mojahedin on the list of terrorist organizations, the Council of Ministers is taking side with the mullah’s regime.
The event and the subsequent legal dossier aimed at destroying the Iranian resistance is a direct collaboration with the regime in oppressing the Iranian people, and one of the most shameful legacies of the previous French Government. In the process, it became an arm of religious repression.
The file was created merely to control the Iranian resistance in support of the mullahs. Its continuation today is more precisely the same goals. The legal case is legally invalid, is a politically conspiracy, and is unprecedented in the history of French jurisprudence. So baseless were the allegations that they resorted to utilizing mullah’s intelligence service agents as witnesses in the case.
In the last presidential elections, the now new President reiterated many times his promise of a New France and promised changes. The June 17 case is a dark chapter in the relationship between France with the Iranian people. France must turn the pages of this gloomy chapter. This would be the greatest measure of the change.
Every decision on the atrocious activities in Iraq is planned and ordered from a command center in Tehran, run under the direct control of Khamenei himself. The reason is that if the regime fails to implement its ominous plan and take over Iraq, it has no hope of preserving its own rule.
The main challenge in Iraq: “In the current circumstances, competition and conflict among two main alternatives in Iraq is between an alternative led by the mullahs vs. an Iraqi option. One alternative is that of Iranian supreme leader’s fascist regime with its networks, mercenaries, and supporters. On the other hand is an anti-fascist Iraqi alternative along with groups, democratic personalities, movements, organizations, nationalists, as well as their supporters in the Arab world and international community.”
Based on this logic, in a declaration, 5, 200,000 Iraqis reiterated that the solution in Iraq “will be achievable by eviction of Iranian regime from Iraqi arena and by recognition of the status of the PMOI which is the counterbalance to Iranian regime interventions.”
Accordingly, it is evident that persons who despite the European Court of Justice’s ruling support the offensive terrorist labeling of the Iranian resistance, are actually battling against a democratic change in Iran. This change is, however, the only manner in which issues of Iran, Iraq, and the entire region can be addressed.
50,000 Iranians gathered today June 30th, 2007 at Park De Expositions Villepinte, north of Paris, France to call for regime change in Iran and call for international support for Iran’s main opposition organization
Text in French Text in Deutsch
Today, 50,000 Iranians from across Europe, and North America gathered in Paris to call for a decisive international policy towards Iran. Unlike the regime they protested against, women were notably included, while youths and different ethnic persuasions cheered. They objected the blacklisting of PMOI on the list of terrorist organizations.
Representing the diversity of the Iranian Diaspora, they shouted “Value of Law, Justice, E.U., E.U., shame on you”, “Freedom, Freedom is our indelible right” and expressed support for democratic change with president elect of the Iranian resistance, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi.
In her remarks, Mrs. Rajavi denounced the Iranian regime and its policies, aims, and expansionist intentions. She noted that, “The uprising of the past few days which began with a fuel crisis is the true picture of a discontented society on the verge of exploding. It is a vivid testimony of the Iranian people and their will to end the mullahs’ rule. These events mark the beginning of the final phase of the regime’s fall, proving the failure of the appeasers who wished to maintain or empower the mullahs. The wave of protests within Iran has confirmed that mullahs are sitting on a powder keg. Those claiming that international sanctions would shift public opinion in favor of the mullahs need to open their eyes, and see the current popular uprising. All of this is happening despite the terror listing of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), which gives the mullahs the ability to contain the crisis in their favor. We can visualize what the atmosphere will be in Iran, when this terror listing of the PMOI is crushed.”
“The time has come for the West to see and recognize a different Iran. The solution to the Iranian problem should be found with Iranian people in streets of Iran and with us,” said Ms. Mojgan who traveled from Germany. This is proof that Iranian resistance has popular support when calling for regime change, and that Iranians with blood and tears reject the mullahs. They thus own the struggle against religious extremists and its leaders in Tehran.”
Another participant who had come from Norway said: “Too much time has been wasted in EU negotiations with the Iranian regime on nuclear crisis. Now is the time for the West to adopt a new policy.”
Galvanized and energized by demonstrations and acts of protest within Iran, the participants expressed solidarity with the women, students, and youth across Iran.
Underpinning the jubilant atmosphere lie a cruel reality. The message was clear:
– That Iran is ruled by unelected barbaric Islamic zealots who boast a predatory and expansionist agenda.
– That its rulers view the people, Iran’s neighbors, and the world community as subjects to rule over.
– That this perversion of the Islamic rules is dangerous not only for the Iranian people but increasing for the world community.
– That the ideology they brandish is intolerant, unchangeable, and all efforts to change its behavior are dangerously futile.
– That the decision to rid Iran of Islamic fundamentalism has already been made by the Iranian people.
– And that international policy must no longer trail the demands of the Iranian people.
Iranians today demand, that the European Union, the United States, and the international community no longer ignore the Iranian people. They must support their call for regime change and stop the failed diplomatic dance with this regime. Iranians know first hand that such is impossible and serves as an invitation to warmongers everywhere. In reality, prompt removal of People’s Mojahedin of Iran from the list of terrorist organizations is, as one prominent news outlet puts it, “the litmus test” (The Wall Street Journal, June 25 2007) regarding our seriousness in addressing this global threat.
Iranians more than anything else, expressed their desire that appeasement with the mullahs ends, stating that appeasement is a short sighted policy that has dragged on for years, the negative price of which the Iranian people continue to pay.
The EU’s continued policy of appeasement towards Iran has led it to disregard laws of the Union itself. Its refusal to implement the December 12, 2006 judgment of Europe’s second highest court is illegal.
EU council of ministers tries maintaining the PMOI in spite of the lack of reasonable evidence and without proper judicial explanation or legal transparency. The European Union has to respect and execute the judgment of its courts. With such a move, they would unmistakably put an end to the policies of appeasement towards the terrorist regime in Iran.
June has a historical significance for Iranian resistance primarily because of two pivotal events.
As the world grapples with policies of regime change vs. change in regime behavior, on June 20th 1981, Iranians became the first to come to grips with the unpleasant reality that mullahs seek no mutually beneficial coexistence but seek only dominance. On that day, and less than 2 years after they seized power, the mullahs brutally crushed a peaceful demonstration of over half a million people, killing hundreds. This event was the mullah’s homecoming as they began to unleash their furry upon the Iranian people. Thus began the reign.
Similarly significant was the June 17, 2003 detainment of Iranian resistance leadership by French authorities on behest of and subsequent to detailed planning with the mullah’s regime. Events of June 17 were a tragedy for the Iranian people’s struggle for democracy and a misguided attempt to change Iran’s behavior. This illegitimate, short sighted and illegal action culminated a decade of economic, political and diplomatic appeasement, leading to emboldening of a brutally oppressive regime and quickened its procurement of technology, and weapons.
Paris, Expositions Villepinte – In a gathering attended by 50,000 Iranians, members of Parliaments and international personalities on Saturday June 30, participants called for the full implementation of the European Court of Justice ruling on the removal of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI) from the terror list and voiced their support for regime change in Iran and called for additional firm policies toward Iran.
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