Maryam Rajavi’s Strasbourg Visit: Time for Europe to Stand with the Iranian People

Mrs. Rajavi said," the growing protests inside Iran and the critical role of the Resistance in countering the regime’s efforts to suppress the Iranian people."

PARIS, FRANCE, October 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Foreign Affairs Committee in an article published that on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), participated in the official sessions of two major political groups at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.

She was invited by the European People’s Party Group and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group. Mrs. Rajavi in addressing these meetings shared her vision for a free and democratic Iran and the need for global solidarity in the fight against Iran’s oppressive regime.

The session of the European People’s Party Group was chaired by Mr. Pablo Hispán, who expressed his gratitude for Mrs. Rajavi’s participation. In his opening remarks, Mr. Hispán praised her leadership in the Iranian Resistance movement and her continuous efforts to bring democracy to Iran.

He acknowledged her significant role in advocating for women’s rights, stating that women have played a pioneering role in the Resistance under her leadership.

He further emphasized that Mrs. Rajavi’s opposition to the fundamentalist regime in Iran stems from her belief in a tolerant and democratic interpretation of Islam.

In her speech, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi cited the Iranian regime’s missile attacks on October 1, calling it a clear reminder that “the head of the snake of terrorism and warmongering” in the region is the religious dictatorship ruling Iran.

She stressed that the regime’s external aggressions are inextricably linked to its internal repression, noting that “warmongering and exporting terrorism are the other side of the coin of suppression, killings, and executions in Iran.”

Rajavi highlighted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s statement that without external military engagement, the regime would face its “enemy” within Iranian cities referring to growing internal dissent and the Resistance Units. She explained that the regime’s survival depends on maintaining proxy forces and plundering national resources, adding, “As long as this regime is in power, the Middle East will not experience peace and tranquility.”

Rajavi also called for international recognition of the Iranian Resistance’s efforts to establish a democratic republic in Iran, emphasizing that “recognizing the alternative and establishing a democratic republic are necessary for peace and security in the region and the world.”

She condemned the regime’s prioritization of nuclear ambitions and regional instability over the well-being of its citizens, noting that 80% of Iranians live below the poverty line while oil revenues fund proxy terrorist groups and conflict in the region. Rajavi also referenced Iran’s involvement in launching drones into Ukraine, further evidence of the regime’s global destabilization efforts.

Rajavi concluded by urging European countries to support the NCRI’s “No to Executions” campaign, condition diplomatic relations on halting state-sponsored executions and terrorism, and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence as terrorist organizations.

She stated, “Democracy in Iran and peace and tranquility in the region can only be achieved by overthrowing this regime,” calling on Europe to recognize the struggle of young Iranians and Resistance Units working to bring an end to the religious dictatorship.

Mr. Hispán highlighted Mrs. Rajavi’s decades-long struggle against the Iranian regime’s systematic human rights abuses. Over the past decade, she has spearheaded the justice-seeking movement for the victims of mass executions in Iran and has led an international campaign against capital punishment.

According to Mr. Hispán, her leadership and relentless activism symbolize hope for the Iranian people’s fight for freedom.

At the meeting of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, chaired by Mr. Eerik-Niiles Kross, Mrs. Rajavi was warmly welcomed. Mr. Kross introduced her as the President-elect of the NCRI, a broad coalition of Iranian democratic movements.

He emphasized that Mrs. Rajavi holds a degree in Metallurgy and has been leading the movement’s efforts to bring democracy to Iran. She has played a significant role in the struggle for equality, and under her leadership, women have taken on leading roles. She advocates for a tolerant and democratic interpretation of Islam and opposes fundamentalism.

He also emphasized that Mrs. Rajavi has written extensively on women’s rights and the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalism. Her older sister was killed by the Shah’s regime, and her younger sister was executed by the current regime.

Additionally, one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law were also executed, and another brother-in-law was assassinated in Geneva. Over the past decade, Mrs. Rajavi has led a justice-seeking movement for the victims of executions and has campaigned against capital punishment both inside and outside Iran.

During her visit to the Council of Europe, Mrs. Rajavi met with Mr. Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Their discussions centered around the grave and systematic violations of human rights in Iran, the regime’s warmongering policies, and the ongoing social and political resistance movements within Iran.

Mrs. Rajavi emphasized the growing protests inside Iran and the critical role of the Resistance in countering the regime’s efforts to suppress the Iranian people.

In a series of meetings with delegations from various European countries, including Italy, Ireland, Slovenia, Finland, and San Marino, Mrs. Rajavi spoke about the escalating executions in Iran and the regime’s use of terrorism and war to maintain its grip on power.

She highlighted that these brutal internal policies are inseparable from the regime’s aggressive behavior abroad, including its export of terrorism and fundamentalism.

The European representatives, in their respective meetings with Mrs. Rajavi, expressed support for the Iranian people’s struggle for democracy and their resistance against the oppressive regime. Mrs. Rajavi, in turn, called on European countries to support the international campaign of the “No to Execution organized by the Iranian resistance.

In her speeches at the Council of Europe, Mrs. Rajavi pointed to the recent missile attacks launched by the Iranian regime, stating that the regime’s aggressive military actions demonstrate that it remains a central source of terrorism and war in the region.

Mrs. Rajavi stressed that the regime’s warmongering and export of fundamentalism are inextricably linked to its internal repression and mass executions, which are essential components of its survival strategy.

Mrs. Rajavi further highlighted the dire human rights situation in Iran, noting that since August alone, following the election of Pezeshkian as the new President, 223 people have been executed.

She stated that the regime’s use of terrorism and regional wars is part of a broader strategy of repression aimed at preventing popular uprisings. Despite the regime’s brutal crackdown, however, the flame of resistance has not been extinguished, and the activities of Resistance Units and anti-regime protests have intensified.

Mrs. Rajavi concluded her speeches by urging Europe to stand with the Iranian people and their Resistance. She called for an end to the policy of appeasement, which has enabled the regime to continue its crimes.

She proposed several actions European countries should take, including supporting the campaign against executions in Iran, conditioning diplomatic and trade relations on an end to executions, terrorism, and hostage-taking, holding the regime’s leaders accountable for crimes against humanity, and designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence as terrorist entities.

Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the downfall of the Iranian regime is a prerequisite for peace and stability in the region. She concluded by urging Europe to recognize the legitimate rights of Iran’s people and Resistance Units in their fight to overthrow the regime and establish a free and democratic Iran.

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Shahin Gobadi
NCRI
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