We have gathered here today to call on the European Union to refer Iran to the Security Council and to denounce the unjust labelling of the Iranian opposition as terrorists and to support the Iranian people in their just cause for freedom and democracy.
EU is based on common values – democracy, respect of Human Rights and basic liberties, freedom and dignity for every person.
These values are indivisible – if we are serious in implementing them in EU countries, we must be equally serious and clear in supporting them in all parts of the world, including Iran.
The regime governing Iran today is a challenge to these values. In addition, the Mullah’s regime is clearly heading towards its goal – to provide Iran with nuclear weapons. The new president of Iran has threatened to wipe out Israel.
Unfortunately, the EU response to this challenge has been ambiguous and inconsistent. My personal experience of living under the Soviet terrorist dictatorship for 50 years of my life has taught me that the policy of appeasement will never bring victory to the democratic forces. It will only hep to strengthen the position of dictatorships and gain time to carry out their goals – spreading terrorism and gaining control of nuclear weapons.
In fact, the EU today is applying double standards in its foreign relations. It is still keeping the main political opposition force, People’s Mojahedin Organisation on a list of terrorist organisations while believing in its ability to achieve agreements with an openly terrorist regime in Tehran. How can a change of this oppressive anti-democratic regime be achieved if the main political opposition force is switched out of the process to the satisfaction of mullahs in Iran? Is the EU really serious in concerns about democracy and Human Rights in our immediate neighbourhood? Continuing such a policy of appeasement could only undermine further the credibility of EU CFSP.
The solution of EU FM-s having their meeting today can only be: to refer Iran’s case to the Security Council without any hesitation or delay and to give a chance to the Iranian Opposition, instead of curbing its activities. Otherwise, the only option would be co-responsibility for perpetuating the military intervention with huge political and human cost.
I say:” Give Mojahedin A Chance”
If the EU is serious about bringing democratic change in Iran, the only solution is to support the call by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, who said in the European Parliament in December that change can only be accomplished by the Iranian people and its Resistance. We must not hinder this Resistance movement by labelling the People’s Mojahedin as terrorists.
When you label the only legitimate opposition to the mullahs’ regime in Iran a terrorist organisation, you are denying the right of a nation to resist against dictatorship. You are also denying the rights of political refugees who have escaped the clutches of the regime. In Iran they cannot voice their support for the Resistance, and now in Europe they still can’t speak out against the regime. They can no longer announce their support for the Resistance, because if they did so they would be considered terrorists.
The recent comments made by Ahmadinejad, clearly shows that we are not facing a normal regime or politician. This is a theocratic state which must go. When the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI) is in this list, this stops any democratic developments in Iran. Nobody can talk about democracy in Iran, when the West is blacklisting the main opposition and imposing many restrictions on their supporters.
So I would like to call on our European leaders to seriously reconsider their previous policies with Iran and especially their repressive and unjust attitude towards the PMOI.
The declaration signed by 260 MPs and MEPs from 22 European countries, said that "Removal of the PMOI from the terrorism list can be the most influential factor in compelling the Iranian regime to comply with international law."
I absolutely agree with what I just read. I would like to conclude by expressing my best wishes to our brothers and sisters in Ashraf Camp in Iraq, whose resistance against all the pressures and conspiracies of the mullahs is an inspiration to all of us.