The attempted assassination of Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a prominent Spanish politician, on November 9, 2023, in central Madrid shocked the world and quickly drew international attention. Vidal’s miraculous survival after a hired assailant targeted his head at close range, along with his courage and decisiveness in immediately identifying Iran’s regime as the perpetrator, highlighted the unique significance of this event.
This terrorist act was a complete failure and humiliation for the regime, producing outcomes entirely contrary to the Iranian regime’s intentions.
In his first press conference in Madrid in February, Professor Vidal-Quadras said that he believed the Iranian regime ordered the attack because of his support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran and stated, “Let them hear me in Tehran – they didn’t achieve their goal. I’ve miraculously saved my life and I intend to continue this fight for the rest of my life.”
A week later in Paris, he said, “I send this message to Tehran: you followed two objectives with this attack. First, you wanted to get rid of me and second, to frighten hundreds of politicians in Europe and America who support Mrs. Rajavi and the Iranian Resistance. However, you did not reach any of your goals. I am alive and those politicians have doubled their activities in support of the Iranian Resistance. My blood has now joined the blood of the martyrs of the Iranian Resistance.”
At a conference in May in Berlin titled “Solving the Iran Crisis: Advocating for Democratic Solutions,” German parliamentarians and public figures highly praised Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras for his unwavering support of the Iranian people’s resistance and struggle for freedom.
The gathering, graced by various members of the Bundestag (German Federal Parliament) and esteemed personalities like Mr. Peter Altmaier, former Minister of Economics and senior advisor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, lauded the principled stance and valor of Professor Vidal-Quadras.
It can be confidently said that the Iranian regime’s failed assassination attempt on Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras marked a turning point, both in exposing the regime’s terrorism and in the failure of appeasement policies.
The Imperative for a New European Policy On Iran's State Terrorism#Iranhttps://t.co/zXHueiktxL
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 8, 2024
On November 8, during an online conference marking the first anniversary of the failed assassination attempt against him, Professor Alejo Vidal Quadras highlighted a “qualitative jump” in Iran’s terrorism strategy, noting that in recent years, it has extended beyond targeting Iranian dissidents to attempting to kill “Western political figures.” He warned that this increasingly aggressive stance underscores a “failed policy” by Western nations, particularly the EU, whose efforts to engage Tehran through dialogue, incentives, and the nuclear deal have only “encouraged the regime to become more and more hostile.”
In response, Vidal Quadras proposed a new policy for Western democracies, beginning with the “international isolation of the regime.” He called for a cessation of diplomatic and trade relations with Iran and urged the EU to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, following the lead of the U.S. and Canada. Financial measures were another key component of his proposal; he argued for “hardened sanctions” and cutting off all possible financial sources for the regime.
Concluding his proposals, Vidal Quadras advocated for the West to formally recognize the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its leader, Maryam Rajavi, as legitimate representatives of the Iranian people. He noted that Rajavi’s “Ten-Point Plan” could serve as the foundation for a peaceful transition to democracy in Iran, which he described as “the best instrument to lead” the country from dictatorship to true democracy.