On Saturday, February 10, freedom-loving Iranians across the world held rallies to celebrate the anniversary of the 1979 revolution that toppled the shah dictatorship in Iran. Rallies and exhibitions were reported in Berlin, Paris, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Vienna, Rome, Bern, Gothenburg, Luxemburg, Oslo, and Vancouver.
Commemorating the anniversary of the anti-monarchy #IranRevolution of 1979. Advocating against monarchy and theocracy. Striving forward towards a democratic republic. #No2ShahNo2Mullahs #FreeIran2024https://t.co/Lu8wpz0MRT
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 10, 2024
In her address to the demonstrations, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said, “On the anniversary of the anti-monarchical revolution, we pay tribute to the sacrifices endured over 45 years. Let us renew our solemn oath on this sacred occasion: we will tirelessly strive to achieve victory for the democratic revolution of the Iranian people, no matter the cost.”
Mrs. Rajavi added, “The National Council of Resistance has firmly established itself as a genuine democratic alternative over four decades, steadfastly opposing both the Shah and the mullahs.”
In another part of her speech, Mrs. Rajavi said, “The Iranian people loudly proclaim that the elections are nothing but a magic trick by Khamenei. They vote for the overthrow of the Velayat al-Faqih regime. They vote for the triumph of the democratic revolution, and it will certainly be realized.”
Freedom-Loving Iranians Rally in Berlin and Paris on the Anniversary of the Iranian People’s Anti-Monarchical Revolution#FreeIran2024 #IranRevolutionhttps://t.co/PMrJm8bHzX pic.twitter.com/VgGhBOvJ0a
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 10, 2024
In the grand rally of Berlin, several lawmakers and politicians delivered speeches. Former German MP Leo Dautzenberg said, “Over the past 45 years, crimes against the Iranian people by religious leaders and the mullahs’ regime have failed to quell the profound resistance against the inhumane dictatorship for freedom.”
Mr. Dautzenberg also said, “It has become increasingly clear to many, though not all, that the mullahs’ regime, with its Revolutionary Guards and proxies, is the true instigator and supporter of terror in the Middle East and worldwide. The PMOI have been pointing out this fact and circumstance for years.”
Former German MP Martin Patzelt warned against the regime’s disinformation campaign and said, “What we’re witnessing now is increasingly becoming a psychological war. A war waged on social media, disseminating false information, suggesting, the regime is not that bad. We just must be peaceful, and we can engage in trade, we can build a future together. No, we cannot. We cannot allow hatred and war to be sown with vast sums of money, money taken from the people in their own land. This network spreading lies abroad is an international mafia of deception. It must be dismantled.”
Marcin Święcicki, a former Polish minister and mayor of Warsaw, stressed that Iran’s regime has not only suppressed its own people but also terrorized the people of the region through its proxy forces. Święcicki called for an end to the policy of appeasement toward the regime and support for the people of Iran and their resistance movement. “With our support, not only Iranian people will be free sooner, but also there will be more stability in the Middle East,” he said. “That’s why we call our government to recognize this opposition as a viable alternative to the present regime.”
German MP Christoph de Vries called for the complete closure of the Islamic Center in Hamburg, one of the regime’s centers of espionage. “It must also be ensured that the espionage activities of the Iranian mullahs’ regime here in Germany come to an end. We must not allow opposition members who have fled from Iran to be threatened again by the regime here in Germany,” the said, referring to the regime’s activities against the Iranian Resistance, including a recent attack on one of the offices of the NCRI.
Former Member of European Parliament Helmut Geuking criticized the German government’s appeasement toward Iran’s regime and said, “This double standard of advocating for democracy and freedom on one side while strengthening dictators on the other must come to an end under this government,” he said. “Enough of it, renegotiate contracts, strengthen the opposition, strengthen their movement; that’s what is needed today, not strengthening an unjust regime.”
These speeches on the anniversary of the victory of the Iranian people against the shah dictatorship is testament to the justness of the campaign by the Iranian Resistance, calling for an end to negotiations with murderers and support for the Iranian people’s aspirations and recognition of their right to self-defense against this brutal regime.
But more importantly, the masses of freedom-loving Iranians across the world who marked the anniversary of the 1979 revolution with chants of “Death to the oppressor, be it the shah or the mullahs” was a reflection of the will of the Iranian people, who have made it clear in their protests and activities that they want regime change in Iran and they will not return to any kind of dictatorship, whether the religious fascism of the mullahs or the dictatorship of the Pahlavi monarchy.
