Iranian resistance’s annual meeting in Paris comes at decisive moment for movement, country

Media Express, July 1, 2016 – On July 9th, the National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI) will hold its annual meeting, also known as “Free Iran”, in Le Bourget, France, near Paris.
The meeting, which is expected to attract  visitors from all around world, arrives at a turning point for the country and the region, falling near the 1-year anniversary of the “Iran Deal”, when Iran and U.N. Permanent Security Council members signed a deal to prevent Iran from enriching uranium in exchange for a lifting of international sanctions against Iran. Despite the deal’s significance little has changed within Iran, where economic hardship and political repression are still the norm.
The conference is the key annual event for the NCRI, the primary organ of resistance and a form of parliament-in-exile for Iran. Speeches from  major foreign dignitaries including prominent U.S. Democrats and Republicans, and countless other supporters of regime change in Iran will take place. The cause of replacing Iran’s clerical government has been a source of international political cooperation among actors from opposite sides of the political spectrum.
The event will also highlight women’s rights, a key battleground for progressives in Iran, where women face various forms of social and political repression. Domestic abuse is protected by law in Iran, and women represent 30% of all executions in Iran. Rajavi and others have called on women to be the driving force behind the changes they seek in Iran.
Last year’s event featured an enormous turnout and a joy-filled atmosphere. Momentum for regime change in Iran has increased due to the inefficacy of the Iran Deal on human rights issues, as well as Iran’s increased use of political repression and execution in recent years.
The event will take place 12:30-9:30PM in the Parc des Expositions, Le Bourget, Île-de-France.