Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament, headed the delegation
A delegation consisting of members of the European Parliament (EP) and Norway parlliament headed by Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament, visited Ashraf City on October 18 and 19 to evaluate the state of Ashraf residents’ protection and the guarantees for their protection and rights based on the Fourth Geneva Convention and International Law.
The delegation consisting of Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament, Morten Hoglund, Vice Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of Norwegian Parliament, Mogens Camre, Vice President of the Union for Europe of the Nations Group, Tunne Kelam, head of the Estonian delegation in Christian Democratic Group in European Parliament, and Andre Brie, chairman of Foreign Relations of Left Coalition Group in the European Parliament were welcomed by Mrs. Mojgan Parsaie, vice-President of the Iranian Resistance in Ashraf City, and Mrs. Sedigheh Hosseini, Secretary General of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).
During their 2-day visit, the EP delegation met with numerous groups of the Ashraf residents and discussed their protection and rights situation. They also visited different sites of Ashraf City including Museum of Iranian Resistance, Exhibition of remnants of Iranian regime’s terrorist operations, Pearl Memorial (Martyrs cemetery) and the Ashraf University.
The EP representatives and deputy chairman of the Foreign Commission of Norwegian Parliament participated in the Ashraf celebration held on occasion of the anniversary of introduction of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, as the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance and delivered their speeches.
In his speech, Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras described Ashraf City as ’a shade under the summer sun, a shelter in the storm, a flower in the desert and a boat of hope breaking against the waves of despair”. He said, “Ashraf city is overall a moral standard, a moral reference and as an example to the whole world. Ashraf City is a symbol of hope, of democracy, of freedom, of justice for the people of Iran and all the peoples in this planet. You can be sure that my colleagues and I do everything in my hands and even more to ensure the security of Ashraf city and to remove you from the black list of the European Union”.
Addressing Ashraf residents, Morten Hoglund, Vice Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of Norwegian Parliament, said, “The battle which you are fighting in Ashraf is so important for all of us; it is a battle for freedom of you, the people and families in Iran but also for freedom of us, and you are in the front of that battle. When we leave here we are going to be the voice of Ashraf; we want to make sure that you are not alone in your struggle, you have many friends all over the world.
Andre Brie, chairman of Foreign Relations of Left Coalition Group in the European Parliament, said, “I have known your rich culture, not only the extremely culture of your country and people but the culture of your movement, a culture of between you and others. I would like to take your culture to my party. I have never seen in a movement so warm relations between the members”.
Mogens Camre, Vice President of the Union for Europe of the Nations Group, said in his speech, “I have been impressed more than (anything else) in all my political life to see the dedication and the fight that you live here; to see the fight of the PMOI for justice, democracy and freedom”.
