NCRI, 13 September 2010- Mayors and elected representatives from 24 cities from the French region of Île-de-France and Val D’Oise province met on Saturday with the Iranian Resistance’s President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, at her residence in the Paris suburb of Auvers-sur-Oise.
13 French mayors and representatives from 11 other cities joined the event to express solidarity with the Iranian Resistance and Camp Ashraf, Iraq, where 3,400 members of the main opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) reside.
Mrs. Rajavi extended her gratitude to the French representatives for supporting the rights of Camp Ashraf residents and conveyed the appreciation and greetings of the residents to the elected representatives of the French people.
Mrs. Rajavi also addressed the participants in a speech excerpts of which follow:
“… From our point of view, you are the symbols of the true values of democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity, which characterize France. That is why it is so significant to know that you are on our side, because we also cherish these values along with you.
We have passed through difficult times, and today the situation has become a lot clearer than before. The world has realized that both you and we were right. The world has realized that we were right in saying that the murderous regime in Iran is not capable of reforms and is completely isolated within the country.
Everyone is coming to the understanding that the clerical regime has stepped up terror, intimidation, arrests, torture and executions in order to preserve its rule.
The regime reveals its brutality with horrendous death sentences such as the stoning of women like Sakineh Ashtiani who themselves are the victims of that system.
The international community must stand up to stop the commission of this barbarism.
The international community must also enact measures against execution sentences against political prisoners and especially supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and relatives of Ashraf residents in Iraq.
There are 9 people awaiting execution currently on charges of taking part in protests and having family links to the residents of Ashraf.
These death sentences, including the latest against Ms. Farah Vazehan, actually serve to expose the regime’s inability to confront the popularity of the resistance movement and the backing of the Iranian society for Ashraf residents.
At the same time, the clerical regime is exerting more pressures on the bastion of resistance in Ashraf with the help of the Iraqi government.
Since January 2009, Iraqi forces tied to services affiliated with the incumbent Iraqi prime minister have laid a siege against the camp while severely preventing traffic in the camp. They are not allowing anyone, including lawyers and families, to enter Ashraf. They do not allow the residents to have access to medical services and basic necessities.
The world must make efforts to convince the United States and the United Nations to rise up to their responsibilities with respect to Ashraf and to respect their obligations for protecting the camp.
The international community has realized that the clerical regime is not only a threat for the Iranian people; rather it is a threat for the entire region and a danger for global peace.
The latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency has sounded alarm bells once again. The report expresses worries about the military dimensions of the regime’s nuclear program.
It is imperative to adopt a firm policy towards a regime that views a nuclear weapon as a necessity for its survival.
We reject the policy of appeasement towards Tehran and demand democratic change leading to the establishment of a democratic and pluralist government on the basis of separation of church and state. This would be a government which would respect fundamental freedoms and would place compliance with human rights over and above all other issues.
There is no doubt that the struggle for freedom will continue until the regime has been overthrown in its entirety and democracy has been secured in Iran.
