Ground Report, July 19, 2016 – Political leaders, MPs, senior military officers and former policymakers and diplomats joined over 100,000 Iranian dissidents in a grand gathering in Paris on July 9th for the annual Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran gathering calling for the establishment of democracy and freedom in Iran.
The hundreds of dignitaries in one voice expressed their support for Iranian opposition leader, NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi and her 10-point plan.
“On the other hand, the mullahs and Daesh are reading from the same script. Both espouse a similar reactionary ideology, which is diametrically opposed to the pristine teachings of Islam. They have a similar modus operandi when it comes to barbarity and savagery. They need to rely on one another to survive. For this reason, so long as the regime’s occupation of Syria, Iraq and Yemen continues, we cannot confront Daesh effectively,” Mrs. Rajavi stressed in her speech.
“Strangely enough, the notion of practical coordination with the terrorist Quds Force is being justified on the pretext of confronting Daesh. I warn that any silence vis-à-vis such an approach or any collaboration with the mullahs enables them to commit genocide and to infringe upon the national sovereignty of countries in the region,” she continued.
The event featured speeches from renowned political figures and recognized opinion holders regarding the situation in Iran, its policies inside the country regarding human rights, and the lethal meddling in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and beyond that has left the Middle East in utter carnage, especially considering the parallel havoc wreaked by Daesh, or ISIS, in this part of the world.
Speakers set out a perspective and vision for the future of Iran, urging the international community to guarantee their policies will be crafted to place the Iranian nation and their interests first, and not their economic relations with the mullahs in Tehran.
Prince Dr. Turki Feisal, former intelligence chief and ambassador to the United States called for strong international his ties with the Iranian opposition by reminding the common denominator of Iranian and Saudi Arabian cultures. He pointed out to the destructive policies of the Iranian regime in the region and its export of terrorism to other countries of the Middle East.
“The Istanbul summit condemned both the Iranian regime and the Lebanese Hezbollah due to their interferences in Arabic countries, especially the attack took place in Tehran and Mashhad against Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic places.”
“Your fight and struggle against the Iranian regime will triumph soon and this is a matter of when, not if,” Dr. Feisal added addressing the crowd.
Addressing the slogans of the crowd for regime change, Dr. Feisal stressed, “I want regime change, too. We in Islamic world will support you from the depth of our hearts,” Prince Feisal added.
Addressing Maryam Rajavi Dr. Feisal added, “Mrs. Rajavi, your efforts and the efforts of Mr. Massoud Rajavi for ridding your people of the cancer of the Iranian regime, is a legendary epic and will be carved in Iran’s history.”
This year’s rally in Paris featured Iranian opposition leaders, 100,000+ Iranian expatriates from all five continents of the globe joining former political leaders, renowned diplomats, MPs, large delegations and retired military officers from the United States, Europe a large number of other countries from different corners of the globe.
Heshmat Alavi is a political activist and supporter for regime change in Iran. He writes on Iran and the Middle East.
