Maryam Rajavi: The people of Iran are determined to overthrow the regime and nothing can stand in their way

Speech to the PMOI gathering welcoming Liam Fox and Franz-Josef Jung, the former Defense Ministers of UK and Germany

The Right Honorable Liam Fox,
Honorable Franz Josef Jung,

Welcome to Ashraf 3, the home of the Iranian Resistance for freedom.
Most of PMOI members who have gathered here today to welcome you, have struggled for more than 40 years against the religious dictatorship in Iran. They represent the 120-year-struggle of the Iranian people for freedom.

Fifty-seven years of this period of suffering and sacrifices make up the history of this movement.
The freedom fighters at Ashraf-3 include 1,000 men and women, who have suffered torture in prisons under the Shah’s dictatorship or the clerical regime.

They are inspired by their commitment to 86 million oppressed Iranians who long for freedom.
Therefore, their goal is to establish a democratic republic, based on the separation of religion and state.

The future democratic republic

They want a republic where people can elect their representatives in free elections, and no one enjoys any privilege under any pretext. The death penalty is abolished and there is no place for the mullahs’ Sharia laws.

All Iranian nationalities have suffered 100 years of discrimination and suppression under the Shah’s dictatorship and the religious tyranny. They would have equal rights.

We insist upon autonomy of Iranian nationalities and eliminating dual oppression based on the NCRI’s plan for the autonomy of Iranian Kurdistan, which was adopted nearly four decades ago.
The future democratic republic will also eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and promote gender equality in every field.

Women will enjoy active and equal participation in political leadership.
What I said are part of the NCRI’s political platform for the future of Iran after the mullahs are overthrown.
Freedom, democracy, equal rights for women and nationalities are not just empty words or propaganda for our movement, but something that we have made great sacrifices to achieve.

In 1988, the regime massacred 30,000 political prisoners on Khomeini’s order. Ninety percent of them were members or sympathizers of the PMOI. They were killed simply because they believed in the PMOI’s goal of overthrowing the regime and establishing freedom and democracy.

Regime change is on the horizon

Today, we are at a critical moment in our history. We are closer than ever to regime change.
Poverty, shortage, inflation, and high prices for the most basic needs of the population, as well as oppression, torture, and execution have brought everyone to the conclusion that the only way to free Iran is the overthrow of the ruling clerical regime.

The people and the youth are willing to pay the price for the goal of freedom, and the regime is surrounded by angry citizens. However, the regime is doing everything it can to stay in power.
It uses extreme repression to suppress protests and terrorize the population.

It spreads false propaganda about the remnants of the Shah’s dictatorship to make the Iranian people believe that they have no other alternative but to accept the current regime. At the same time, the regime has stepped up its disinformation campaign against the democratic alternative, the NCRI, and the only organized force for change within Iran, the PMOI.

The mullahs want to make the international community believe that there is no force for change or democratic alternative in Iran by demonizing the NCRI and PMOI. Therefore, they can continue their misguided policy of appeasement. But nothing can change the reality that the Iranian society has risen up.

The Iranian Resistance has the necessary means and capacity to overthrow the current regime. Especially that it has the support of anti-regime forces within Iran.
The resistance units are engaged in anti-repression activities including torching symbols of the regime. Despite the recent arrest of many members of the Resistance Units, the Resistance network is still growing.

The clerical regime is at its weakest point

It is time for European countries to abandon their failed appeasement policy and stand with the Iranian people and their organized Resistance.

The British Parliament has been a pioneer in advocating a firm policy vis-à-vis the Iranian regime. In this regard, the parliamentary debate and adoption of motion for proscription of the IRGC was very important.

Ending the mullahs’ regime is not only important for the people of Iran but also for the peace and security of Europe, the Middle East, and the world.
The Iranian people should have the right to defend themselves against the IRGC and other oppressive forces of the regime.
The IRGC should be designated as a terrorist group, and it’s time to close the regime’s embassies.

Let me conclude:
The regime is at its weakest point, and it has no solutions for the economic, social, and political crises it’s facing.
The PMOI organized network and its Resistance Units in Iran are actively involved in the protests across the country.
Despite the regime’s attempts to suppress the resistance, the PMOI’s network and activities are expanding, and more are joining the fight for freedom.
The protests that began in September 2022 have changed the situation in Iran; the situation will never be the same as what it was before the protests started. The people of Iran are determined to overthrow the regime and nothing can stand in their way.