Statement of two prominent leaders of Christian churches of Britain

Maryam Rajavi: under the pretext of religion mullahs established a fascist regime which inspires Daesh and Boko Haram

Wednesday January 20, 2016, two prominent leaders of Christian churches in Britain, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, former Bishop of Oxford and the Right Reverend Adrian Newman, the Bishop of Stepney, met with Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) at her residence in Auvers-sur-Oise, north of Paris, and discussed the events and recent developments in Iran and the region and the right policy approach by the British and US governments as well as the European Union.
Maryam Rajavi while thanking the British religious leaders for their valuable efforts to promote and protect the health, safety and security of Liberty residents said:
The Right Reverend John Pritchard
The Right Reverend Adrian Newman
You are most welcomed to join us here today. I would like to extend my New Year greetings to you and to all Christians of Britain.
It is a blessing to start the New Year by meeting you distinguished bishops.
The Iranian Resistance feels blessed to have enjoyed the sympathy and support of Church leaders in the U.K., in France, in the U.S. and other countries in Europe/as well as in Iraq and Iran.
The genuine Islam teaches us that human beings are sisters and brothers.
Our relations with Christians and Jews are in dire contrast to how the extremists treat them. Under the name of Islam, extremists oppress followers of other religions just as they suppress the majority of Muslims, who represent the democratic and tolerant values of Islam.
Iran’s ruling mullahs pretend to defend the Shiite branch of Islam, but more than ninety-per cent of their victims are Shiites.
Therefore, religion is not at issue here. We are speaking about liberty versus tyranny.
Was liberation from bondage not what all Prophets came to deliver?

Did Moses, Jesus and Mohammad not come to FREE humanity from the shackles of ignorance and injustice?
The Quran repeatedly mentions the Blessed Virgin-Mary as one of the most prominent women and as an exemplary model of piety.
There is a Chapter in the Quran named after Mary.
And for the women of Iranian Resistance, and particularly myself, the Virgin Mary is an eternal example.
Therefore, one should ask what justification is there for the rulers of Iran or any other extremist group to harass and murder Christians?
There is none.
I would like to pay tribute to the memory of three martyred Iranian priests, Bishop Haik Hosepian Mehr, Pastor Mehdi Dibaj and Bishop Tateos Michaelian.
They were brutally murdered by the Iranian regime because they did not submit to the ruling tyranny.

Fortunately, church leaders worldwide have come to our aid.
I greatly appreciate your efforts in defending members of the Iranian Resistance in Camp Liberty.
Whenever they are attacked, you rush to their aid.
This shows that God has blessed them for remaining steadfast.
I would also like to especially thank you for your initiative in issuing a declaration in support of members of the Iranian Resistance in Camp Liberty.
You are certainly aware that Camp Liberty is still exposed to attacks. And a lack of fortified structures in the Camp makes them very vulnerable.
On the other hand, the Iranian regime is in a deadlock/ both at home and region-wide.
It has therefore stepped up its plots against the freedom fighters of Camp Liberty because of their commitments to freedom and democracy in Iran and their belief in a tolerant and democratic Islam as opposed to the mullahs’ extremist interpretation of Islam.
If it were not for the absolute repression prevailing in the country, millions would have risen to support these freedom fighters and toppled the ruling mullahs.
But the mullahs have so far maintained their grip on power by resorting to ongoing executions and mass arrests.
In fact, under the pretext of religion they established a fascist regime which inspires Daesh, Boko Haram, and other extremist groups.
This regime has created most of the terrorist groups
in the Middle East such as the Hezbollah of Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and a dozen other groups in Iraq.
Two and a half years ago, Hassan Rouhani became President of this religious dictatorship and deceptively promised to promote moderation in order to mask the regime’s repressive nature.
Rouhani’s record, including 2,000 executions, shows Rouhani’s true colors.
At least 52 people were hanged in Iran in the first two weeks of January alone. Executions and arrests have escalated during his term as have poverty and unemployment.
A few days ago, the implementation of the nuclear agreement began.
Of course the mullahs never intended to retreat from their nuclear weapons program. But the Iranian Resistance’s revelations of the secret nuclear sites, the Iranian people’s opposition to this costly program, and the imposition of international sanctions pressured the regime to retreat.
Now, we can see that with any day passing, the regime’s crises are being aggravated.
Internal schism at the top ahead of the sham Parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections has deepened.
Now is time to put pressure on the mullahs to stop human rights violations in Iran, the executions, the massacre of the people of Syria, the export of terrorism and fundamentalism, and the attacks on Camp Liberty.
This is the road to peace and stability in the region.
Fortunately in recent months, our compatriots have stepped up their protests all across the country.
In the past week alone, 155 demonstrations, strikes and protests have occurred, which have terrified the regime’s leaders.
Despite the suppression and killings in Iran and attacks on Camp Liberty, we are confident that the people of Iran will definitely achieve freedom.
We are striving for a democratic society based on separation of religion and state, gender equality, and abolition of death penalty.
And in this quest, we will continue to need your assistance.
I thank you very much, indeed.