Thousands of Iranians gathered in the giant auditorium in Villepente Exhibition
Center, just outside in a massive expression of support urging the
world to adopt a firm approach toward the Iranian government. The gathering
featured an array of speakersfrom all over the world and across the political spectrum, including Saudi Prince Turki bin Faisal and a large delegation from the Syrian democratic opposition. Iran’s media outlets, such as Royesh Melat, reacted by criticizing the gathering.
The rally focused on the prospects for democratic change in Iran
and condemnedrepression of human rights and record for regional
intervention. Speakers also expressed their support for change and solidarity with the
Iranian opposition with the rallying cry of “free Iran.”
The gathering, held annually near Paris, typically draws hundreds of prominent figures from
all over the world, and was a display of the political power of Iran’s
opposition.
The
rally captured the growing momentum for change with
respect to Iran including changes in policies and attitudes in the Middle East
and Washington, and the prospects for a new approach towards the clerical
establishment in Iran.
The
array of speakers, which included several prominent Americans,
including former Democratic party’s nominee for Vice
President and former US senator, Joe Lieberman, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani,
former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former attorney General Michael Mukasey,
former Homeland Security Secretary, Tom Ridge, former FBI director Louis Freeh,
former US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, Rudy Giuliani and Congressmen Ted
Poe, Robert Pittenger and Tom Garretall, expressed hope that the changes taking
place in the international community would culminate in a new approach towards
Iran and a strategic partnership with the Iranian opposition.
Giuliani in particular expressed hope that the new administration in the United States
would take steps to not only implement a new approach towards the political
establishment in Iran, but to embrace the Iranian opposition in tackling a
common problem. “The ruling regime is in disarray and paralyzed as never
before. Iranian society is simmering with discontent and the international
community is finally getting closer to the reality that appeasing the ruling
theocracy is misguided.” said Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the NationalCouncil of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), who struck a hopeful note for democratic change.
Rajavi highlighted the plight of Iran’s population, and commended Iran’s
political prisoners for supporting the gathering “from the depths of the
regime’s torture chambers.” “The sun of change is shining on Iran,” she added, to an enthusiastic crowd of thousands cheering “We are
ready.”
Rajavi added that the international community must “Recognize the
resistance of the Iranian people to overthrow the mullahs’ religious
dictatorship and designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a
terrorist organization and evict it from the entire region.” “Our people want a
constitution based on freedom, democracy, and equality,” Rajavi said.
Gingrich praised the Iranian opposition as not only a just and pure
movement, praising the leadership of Maryam Rajavi by stating ““She is persistent in difficult times. She is a great
leader. I thank each of you on her behalf to help her make her a truly historic
figure.
The rally attempted to offer a clear vision of what
change in Iran could look like, and the broad based from all over the world to
make this vision come true. The movement believes that given the current
political climate and the potential for change within the region, the prospect
for a new Iran, and free Iran may be closer than ever.
It
appears that Iranian leaders are more concerned about the soft power of Western powers and the
opposition than their hard power. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, has frequently warned about the dangers of political and
cultural infiltration.
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