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What’s the alternative to the mullahs’ rule?

Analysis by PMOI/MEK

 

July 21, 2018 – In 1979, the people of Iran rose against their rulers, and their uprising resulted in the toppling of the Shah regime. While the national solidarity was strong and the sacrifices made by the Iranian people were many, what the 1979 revolution missed was a true alternative to the Shah regime. Absent an organized Iranian opposition movement that could lead the country toward the establishment of true democracy in the wake of the Shah’s overthrow, Khomeini and his gang of mullahs took advantage of their religious clout to seize power and found what has become one of the worst dictatorships in modern history.

Now, 40 years later and after paying a heavy price, the people of Iran have risen again and are determined to put an end to the rule of tyrannical rulers once again. Under these circumstances, there’s much speculation and concern over what is the alternative to the mullahs’ rule, and who is the real Iranian opposition that can fulfill the dreams of the Iranian people, and how can we prevent the repetition of what happened in 1979?

The rise of opportunistic opposition groups

Now that the regime is in a weak position and there’s a true prospect of seeing its downfall, many persons and organizations that have had little or no role in shaping Iran’s political and international scene have stepped forth and claim to be the real opposition and alternative to the regime. They see the current climate as an opportunity to

We saw this happen once again in 2009, when the people of Iran poured into the streets of Iran’s main cities, protesting against the regime in its entirety and clashing with the Iranian regime’s repressive security forces. Many Iranian groups emerged and claimed to be viable oppositions to the Iranian regime. And as the protest subsided, those so-called Iranian opposition groups faded into nothingness.

It’s important to stress that a considerable number of these people and organizations have overt and covert ties to the regime’s institutions. The Iranian regime has a history of creating phony oppositions abroad to muddy the waters and discredit its main opposition, the PMOI/MEK and NCRI. As for the rest, they could at best be described as opportunists that are trying to achieve fortune and fame off the back of the Iranian people’s suffering.

What are the requirements of a true democratic alternative to the mullahs’ rule?

The question now is, how do you navigate the complicated and convoluted political landscape of Iran and Iranian opposition groups? How can you weigh and evaluate the truthfulness of an opposition group’s claims? Who can bring prosperity to the people of Iran after the ouster of the mullahs?

First and foremost, the real Iranian opposition must be the ideological and political anti-thesis to the Iranian regime. This means that it should have no ties or affiliations to any of the institutions and authorities of the Iranian regime and must have a clear red line on integrating any of the regime’s elements into the future of Iran. In this regard, groups and organizations that claim there’s a solution where you can negotiate and back factions or institutions in the Iranian regime are outright disqualified as viable opposition groups.

Furthermore, a real Iranian opposition group should have the following characteristics:

  • It must have a clear and known leadership that has proven their qualities and qualifications over the years.
  • It must have a declared and documented political platform and program for the future of the country and distinct guidelines that present its political and social values.
  • It must be inclusive and represent all of Iran’s ethnicities, religions and political tendencies, excluding that of Shah and Khomeini.
  • It must have a democratic structure and its relations must be based on equality.
  • It must have dedicated members who are willing to sacrifice and go to great lengths to achieve its goal of bringing democracy to Iran.
  • It must have an active network of supporters and members inside and outside Iran to be able to steer the events in the right direction and organize events and activities that can facilitate the overthrow of the ruling regime.
  • It must have the ability to obtain and curate official and classified information about the regime to be able to defuse its conspiracies and expose its illegal activities.
  • It must be independent, both politically and financially, and it must rely exclusively on its own capacities.
  • It must have the potential and capabilities to manage the country in the post-regime change era.
  • It must be known internationally and have credibility.

Given these requirements, one can easily realize which opposition groups have real potential and which ones are only riding the hype cycle. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) was founded 37 years ago after the Iranian regime closed all paths for peaceful political activism inside the country and cracked down on all opposition groups and dissidents.

During these 37 years, the NCRI has remained true to its principles and its political platform for the future of Iran, which is based on gender equality, respect to all religions and ethnicities, popular vote and peaceful coexistence with neighboring countries and the international community. The 10-point plan of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI has gained international recognition and acceptance.

The NCRI is the only inclusive opposition that represents all walks of life in Iran. It is the largest coalition of Iranian opposition groups from a wide variety of political standpoints, religions, and ethnicities.

The MEK, one of the main constituents of the NCRI, has a long history of struggling for freedom in Iran dating back to the Shah era. Since the 1979 revolution, the mullahs’ regime has executed more than 100 thousand members and supporters of the MEK for their devotion to freedom and democracy. And yet the mullahs’ brutality has not been able to discourage the Iranian people from supporting the MEK.

The MEK’s network of supporters and activists inside Iran had a prominent role in shaping and organizing recent protests in Iran, a fact that the Iranian regime’s highest authorities have admitted to. More importantly, the MEK has thousands of members who have dedicated their entire lives to bringing freedom and democracy to Iran.

The NCRI and MEK also enjoy wide support among the Iranian diaspora. Every year, the Free Iran gathering, the NCRI’s flagship event in Paris, draws tens of thousands of Iranians from across the world, as well as politicians, lawmakers and activists of different nations who want to express their support for the Iranian people and the Iranian opposition’s efforts to free Iran from the rule of the mullahs.

The Iranian has tried to discredit and demonize the real Iranian opposition through different means, including banking on the appeasement policy dominating western countries in past years. But the tides are changing. At the end of the day, only the main Iranian opposition and the true alternative to the mullahs’ violent rule will stand.

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