On December 8, 1998, hundreds of intellectuals, writers, jurists, graduates, human rights, students and women associations and political parties and groups signed a declaration; while supporting the Iranian Resistance vis-à-vis advocates of the Iranian regime abroad, who mislead public opinion regarding Khatami’s political agenda; drew the red line over the Iranian people’s honor.
They announced in their declaration:
Under the slogan of ‘down with Khamenei’, ‘down with Rafsanjani’, ‘down with Khatami’; we reject, in its entirety, the anti-humane Velayat-e faqih regime that has usurped the Iranian people’s rights. Anyone is entitled to oppose the NCRI or PMOI and express his or her criticisms. But using the excuse of criticism to obscure the red lines between theResistance and the regime or legitimizing one of its internal factions is considered a betrayal to the Iranian people’s interest.
Article 4 states:
Defending this regime or any of its factions or having relation with them is considered stepping on the blood of martyrs and defying the Iranian people’s right to freedom and sovereignty. Cutting off all relations with the clerical regime is considered the distinctive red line of struggle for freedom. Crossing this red line, which is the vital boundary of the Iranians against the mullahs, will remove any individual or political movement, regardless of their history or any claim of being an opposition to the regime, from the opposition front and will be considered a betrayal.