#Iran- Grand Iranian Gathering in Paris, July 9, 2016 Lord Maginnis of Drumglass is an independent member of the UK House of Lords and prominent member of the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom (BPCIF), A Striking Contrast to the Mullahs’ Iran

Grand Iranian Gathering in Paris, July 9, 2016

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass is an independent member of the UK House of Lords and prominent member of the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom (BPCIF),

A Striking Contrast to the Mullahs’ Iran

The nuclear deal will not bring a moderate Iran. To achieve that, Iran’s democracy activists need our support

By Lord Maginnis of Drumglass

The Diplomat, July 19, 2016 - A full year has passed since the Iranian regime accepted a nuclear deal with the West which would boost the regime and allow economic sanctions against Tehran to be lifted. The reciprocal of that entailed an abandonment of the nuclear program and hopefully could be a precursor to moderation — a softer, gentler Iran. Now that year has passed with these hopes being far from reality. The sad lesson must surely be apparent — the only real opportunity for change must lie in giving tangible support to active and moderate Iranians like those who assembled in Paris last weekend. The Iranian regime has increased its support for the murderous Assad regime; for Hezbollah; for Shiite militias and other terrorist groups abroad. It continues to directly participate in regional conflicts and at home the execution, in record numbers, of their own people. Far from being a moderate, President Hassan Rouhani has exceeded the brutality and extremism of his predecessor, and all the while the nuclear program remains largely covert, while more overt segments show signs of further development. Ballistic missiles, executions, and regional turmoil are not signs of moderation by any stretch of the imagination. Just because the Iranian regime is full of hard-liners does not mean that the Iranian people are. Last Saturday, an impressive 100,000 Iranian expatriates and their international supporters gathered in Paris in a massive show of force. The keynote speaker was Maryam Rajavi , the charismatic president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran ( NCRI ) who has assembled a solid show of support among Iranians at home and abroad. Mrs. Rajavi has for some years presented a stark contrast to the Iranian status quo, calling for a truly democratic Iran and saying, “A new era will dawn in Iran; a society based on separation of religion and state, and gender equality will blossom.” Her words, while drawing a strong reaction from the highest levels of the Iranian regime were warmly received by both supporters in Paris and those other supporters who still must run the gauntlet within Iran’s borders. It is this moderation that not only brought thousands of Iranian supporters, but a large contingent of leading international politicians as well. The most striking aspect of the NCRI’s international political support is that the list of politicians attending would rarely, if ever, be seen together except at this kind of event – a response to the national tragedy that exists under Rouhani and the Mullahs. U.S. Democrats such as Howard Dean and Bill Richardson were joined by Republicans Newt Gingrich and John Bolton. Likewise, European politicians in attendance, parliamentary delegations, and global political personalities covered the entirety of the political spectrum. In such a polarized political era, to have such cooperation and agreement on a single issue should not be understated. Among the more notable attendees was Turki bin Faisal Al-Saud, a prominent member of the Saudi royal family, a former ambassador to the United States and UK. Surely this is a significant and major indicator that the momentum is shifting against the Iranian regime. Prince Turki’s attendance marked the first time Saudi support was given publicly to any group so opposed to the Iranian regime. This was not simply a gamble, but a purposeful and calculated statement by the Saudis, indicating an expectation that the NCRI will continue to gain momentum that could ultimately lead to regime change. Tehran’s immediate hysterical reaction to the gathering and its message included summoning the French ambassador to Tehran with the aim of intimidating the French for allowing a peaceful rally to take place in the “City of Light.” Surely that’s a clear indication that the theocratic regime in Tehran is feeling the heat and that NCRI opposition is, increasingly, making an impact internationally. The huge numbers of grassroots supporters, the political attendees of every political and democratic hue from so many countries is a huge endorsement. The reaction of the Mullah’s regime sends a very clear message. Though regime change is unlikely to happen overnight, the NCRI is a viable, moderate alternative that the hard-liners in Tehran regards as a threat. Western governments and others in the region should take this message seriously and perhaps reconsider their position in how they seek to reform a regime that has, time without number, broken its commitments and been consistently so deceitful and destructive. Mrs Rajavi and her formidable workforce have a clearly enunciated, pluralistic, and democratic vision. The free

world should not be content to relegate this to merely a once-a-year event

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#iran-Iranian opposition mass gathering in Paris, France- 2015-One Year After Nuclear Deal, Senior US Figures to Attend Paris Rally For a ‘Free Iran’

 One Year After Nuclear Deal, Senior US Figures to Attend Paris Rally For a ‘Free Iran’

A group of prominent American figures, Republican and Democrat, are planning to make their way

to Paris next weekend for what has become an annual show of strength for a major movement 

dedicated to the downfall of the regime in Tehran.

On July 9, the National Council of Resistance of Iran ( NCRI )/People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (MEK) plans a mass “Free Iran” rally in the French capital, following a series of round-table events a day earlier. Last year’s event attracted a reported 100,000 Iranian expatriates and supporters.

Among the high-profile Americans who organizers say have confirmed their attendance are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich – said to be a strong contender to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate – who has taken part in previous years.

Others include former ambassadors to the United Nations John Bolton and Gov. Bill Richardson, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, and former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean.

Joining them, organizers say, will be former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, former Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend, former Undersecretary of State for Arms Control Robert Joseph, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, and former Democratic lawmakers Sen. Robert Torricelli (N.J.) and Rep. Patrick Kennedy (R.I.), among others.

Military figures are also on the list, among them former Marine Corps commander Gen. (Ret.) James Conway, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. (Ret.) David Philips, who was responsible for training the Iraqi Police after the 2003 U.S. invasion, and Col. (Ret.) Wesley Martin, who served as senior anti-terrorism and force protection officer for coalition forces in Iraq.

Supporters view it as a viable opposition to the clerical rulers in Tehran, and say criticism leveled against it is largely due to a successful lobbying effort on the part of the regime and its supporters. They also point to the fact the NCRI/MEK has provided the West with valuable intelligence on Iran. Notably, a then senior member of the group, Alireza Jafarzadeh, in 2002 helped to uncover Iran’s clandestine nuclear program.

After the fall of Saddam, MEK members in Iraq were disarmed by agreement with U.S. forces and confined to Camp Ashraf in Diyala province. Iraqi authorities in 2012 moved them to Camp Liberty, a former U.S. military base near the Baghdad airport.

Some 2,000 members of the group are still housed at Camp Liberty, with U.N.-led efforts underway to relocate them to a secure third country.

Both in Liberty and Ashraf, they have come under attack a number of times, most recently last October, when 24 were killed and more injured in a rocket attack claimed by an Iranian-backed Shi’a militia.

According to Shahin Gobadi, a member of the NCRI’s foreign affairs committee, this year’s event in Paris will be especially significant because of its timing.

It comes shortly after the first anniversary of the announcement of the nuclear agreement reached between the U.S. and five other powers and Iran.“One year after the nuclear deal,” Gobadi said in a statement, the event “provides a different perspective on the situation and will offer a policy alternative to Western countries’ approach by emphasizing that the voice of Iranian people must be heard.”

The Paris event also takes place one week before the Republican National Convention and two weeks before the Democratic National Convention. The administration’s Iran policy has featured prominently during the presidential campaign, with presumptive nominees Trump and Hillary Clinton taking very different stances on the issue.

Gobadi noted the planned attendance of prominent Americans from both sides of the political spectrum.

“In the midst of a very contentious U.S. presidential campaign, there will be bipartisan support at the July 9 event for the goals and aspirations of the Iranian people.”

Gobadi said the event will provide Iranians with the opportunity to highlight that the notion of “moderation” under President Hasan Rouhani is “a total myth.”

“The only solution for Iran is regime change by Iranians and the organized resistance,” he said. “The first step to that effect will be imposing further sanctions on the clerical regime for flagrant human rights abuses and its role as the main state-sponsor of terror the world over.”

Apart from senior American attendees, organizers listed prominent European participants including former French, Italian and German cabinet ministers, other European officials and lawmakers, and French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, who was held hostage by Colombia’s FARC rebels for six years before being rescued in 2008.

They said senior politicians and activists from Islamic countries would also take part, “including a delegation from the moderate Syrian opposition who are themselves victims of the Iranian regime’s support for Bashar Assad’s state machinery of terror

Source: CNS News, 1 July 2016

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