Thursday, February 05, 2009
Following the great victory of the Iranian Resistances and removal of the PMOI from the EU terrorist list, delegations of parliamentary and friendship committees with the Iranian Resistance from different European countries met and discussed with Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iran in Resistance in a session in Auvere-sur-Oise.
In this meeting that was held with participation of parliaments’ representatives, political and human right personalities from Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Luxemburg, Italy, and Germany, the necessary measures for defense of Ashraf residents and also support of the “Third option” were discussed.
In her remarks, Mrs. Rajavi said:
“Honorable deputies, Dear friends of the Iranian Resistance, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to sincerely thank you for all your efforts in support of the Iranian Resistance.
Allow me also to thank you on behalf of all members of Resistance especially residents in Ashraf City in Iraq.
Our achievements was the result of a team work, from perseverance of the residents of Ashraf each meeting or even letter you had written. I congratulate this victory to all of you. However, I believe the importance of this achievement has not yet fully realized. The bitter and painful reality is that we were not only facing the mullahs’ regime; but we were also facing major European countries due to some economic interests or political miscalculation. The mullahs had oil wells and we were an independent movement with support from no government. An independent resistance with members facing torture and execution at home, but with your help we could overcome these problems.
We defeated seven times the British government and the EU in courts in Europe in an unjust battle; we forced France and it allies which wanted to maintain the PMOI on the list by all means to retreat from their position. You may know that until the last minutes, France and its allies tried to prevent delisting of the PMOI. Yes we made the appeasers to listen to the voice of justice.
This is not the end of the path but the new chapter has begum; an era in which you and us together shall make the governments recognize the right of the Iranian people for freedom and resistance.
We are now in a much better position; the most important barrier namely the terrorist label in Europe has been removed. We must also put an end to the terrorist label in US which has been the origin of this unjust label. In addition, political situation requires a change of policy by EU and the US.
The milestone for the new US administration can not be either having or not having dialogue with the Iranian regime. If through dialogue President Obama can make the mullahs lessen the suppression or stop export of fundamentalism and terrorism and to halt its nuclear weapon program we shall welcome it; but this is only a mirage, because the problem is that the Iranian regime can not retreat from its position.
However, the immediate issue we are facing is the situation of Ashraf. Therefore defending Ashraf and recognizing the Rights of its residents according to the international principles is a moral, humanitarian, legal, and a political obligation.
Defending Ashraf is a political necessity to confront Islamic fundamentalism in the region, to confront increased meddling of the regime in the region and to stop mullahs being armed with nuclear bomb.
I think under the current situation it is vital for the European governments to understand the necessity of defending Ashraf City. Of course, you know better the mechanism involved.
If we could overcome the barrier of terrorist label, I have no doubt that we will be able to overcome any obstacle in this path. There is no barrier that we can not overcome. We say always “we can and we must.”
At the end I would like to thank you for all your efforts and all you have done in this period.
Thank you very much.”