Iranians demonstrate in Washington, cautioned against Iranian regime’s plots on Ashraf City

Supporters of the Iranian Resistance along with the families and relatives of Ashraf residents in Washington staged a demonstration on Wednesday in front of headquarter of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), warning against the Iranian regime’s conspiracies against Ashraf City and asked the ICRC to take immediate stance and emphasized US responsibility as to the protection of Ashraf residents.
The demonstrators warned about the risk of a human catastrophe for thousands of PMOI members in Ashraf City. They asked for continuation and strengthening of protective guarantees for Ashraf.
The demonstrators carried banners saying, “We ask ICRC to guarantee Ashraf protection’ and ’We stand by Ashraf to the end and won’t let mullahs harm PMOI members.’
In this demonstration the letter by Bob Filner, U.S. Congressman from Democratic Party, to General Petraeus , MNF-I commander، was read. This letter partly reads: “The fact is that the residents of Ashraf have been seriously helpful to counter the Iranian regime’s interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and the Iranian regime is adamantly seeking the expulsion of the MEK from Iraq.
“If the protection of Camp Ashraf, the home of the members of Iranian opposition, is transferred to the Iraqi security forces, the unarmed residents of this camp become the target of Iranian-sponsored aggression, violence, and slaughter.
“Any action to this effect by the MNF-I would be an obvious breach of the US obligations under international law and would invite a humanitarian catastrophe. This must be avoided at all cost.
“Under such circumstances, I urge you to ensure that no such transfer will take place and that the Multi-National Forces-Iraq will continue to provide protection to the residents of Ashraf consistent with the relevant provisions of the Geneva conventions and IHL.”
Also the letter by Tom Tancredo, U.S. Congressman from Republican Party to General Petraeus was read. Parts of the letter say: “Members of the MEK in Ashraf have been under the protection of our troops and protected persons in accordance with the fourth Geneva Convention. As such the principle of non-refoulement should apply to them.
“Over the past five years the United States correctly overtook the responsibility for the protection of Camp Ashraf. It is my understanding that during this period the MEK was very helpful to our troops in Iraq in terms of exposing Iran’s destructive behavior in Iraq. I am also informed that they have been very helpful in encouraging the Iraqi people including the Sunnis and Shiites to participate in the political process which has proved vital for restoring security in Iraq.
“In my view, handing over the MEK to Iran (which is essentially what transferring their security responsibilities to the Iraq’s security forces would mean) could be a recipe for disaster.
“In that vein, I would ask that you personally intervene in this matter so that we can alleviate what may otherwise be a potential human catastrophe. I hope you will help ensure that our troops protect the residents of Camp Ashraf from the state sponsors of terror in Tehran.”
In this demonstration, Dr. Mohammad Ghorbani, member of the NCRI, champion of the Iranian wrestling team and former world champion, delivered his speech and said: “The criminal clerical regime which is in the stage of collapse and overthrow, intends to take revenge of declaration of 3 million Shiite in banishing the clerical regime and supporting the PMOI and annulment of the terrorist label from the PMOI in Britain and also the historical gathering of 70,000 people in France on June 28 and the unanimous support of majority of representatives of Belgian, Italian and French parliaments for the Iranian Resistance by abject conspiracies against the combatants of freedom in Ashraf City. We have gathered here to warn regarding plat of massacre of Ashraf residents who are protected persons under the fourth Geneva Convention.”
Professor Kazem Kazerounian, the prominent professor of Connecticut University, on behalf of the Association of Iranian Researchers and Specialists in US, said: “We have come here today to announce our support for the just rights of Ashraf City residents and ask the International Committee of Red Cross to take measures in support of the rights of Ashraf residents.”
The next speaker was Mrs. Jila Andalib, chairwoman of the Women’s Society against Fundamentalism who said: We announce our support for the Ashraf City residents because we support human rights and refugees’ rights; we have come here because nearly 1000 Iranian brave women, members of the largest Iranian opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) are residing in Ashraf City which is a symbol of freedom and democracy; as the declaration of 5.2 million Iraqi citizens in support of the PMOI reads’ the way the Iraqi government treats the PMOI is the key indicator of its independence and popularity’ and thus the Iraqi government must not yield to the pressures of the religious fascism ruling Iran and contravene legal rights of PMOI members.
During demonstration, a senior ICRC official in Washington came among the demonstrators and visited their representatives and families of the Ashraf PMOI members. The families and relatives of Ashraf PMOI members asked the ICRC to adopt stance regarding protection and provision of legal security of Ashraf residents and to remind responsibility of the US forces and MNF-I commitments about protection of Ashraf residents and guarantee of non-Refoulement Principle to them.