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Maryam Rajavi to House subcommittee: Regime change in Iran necessary for countering Islamic fundamentalism

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Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president of the National Council of Resistance of Iran told the U.S. Congress on Wednesday that in the “absence of a firm policy vis-à-vis the regime in Tehran, there will be destructive consequences.” To counter Islamic fundamentalists, democratic and tolerant Islam should be empowered, she explained.

Maryam Rajavi appeared before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade via videoconference on Wednesday.

Rajavi referred to the Iranian regime as the “epicenter of fundamentalism” in the Middle East and she told the assembled Representatives, “We can and we must defeat Islamic fundamentalism, whether Shiite or Sunni.”

Maryam Rajavi outlined several practical steps that Western governments might take toward this end, one of which was to “recognize the Iranian people’s aspirations to overthrow the mullahs.”

She told the hearing: “Today, Islamic fundamentalism and extremism, under the name of ISIS or Shiite paramilitary groups, have launched a vicious assault on countries in the region and beyond including America and Europe.”

“Islamic fundamentalism emerged as a threat to peace and security when Khomeini stole the leadership of a popular revolution in 1979 and established a religious dictatorship,” she added.

The Iranian opposition leader also said: “For 36 years, we have resisted a religious tyranny and fought for democracy in Iran. The Iranian regime has served as the main source of this ominous phenomenon in the region and across the world. The primary objective of Islamic fundamentalists, including ISIS, is to establish an Islamic Caliphate and enforce Sharia law.”

The Islamic fundamentalist, “recognize no borders,” she said. “Aggressiveness and violence are two common features of Sunni and Shiite extremists. As such, searching for moderates among them is an illusion.”

Rajavi said her movement had warned that the mullahs sought to acquire nuclear weapons to export fundamentalism and guarantee their own existence but little, if anything, was done to prevent this export.

“Unfortunately, failure to stop the Iranian regime’s post-2003 meddling in Iraq enabled it to gradually occupy that country, driving the unprecedented spread of fundamentalism. Similarly, crimes committed by the Quds Force and Bashar Assad in Syria and the massacre and exclusion of Sunnis in Iraq by Maliki, coupled with Western silence, empowered ISIS,” she said.

Rajavi emphasized that the mullahs’ regime is not part of any solution to current crises; it is indeed the heart of the problem.

“The people of Iran, indeed, call the mullahs’ regime as Godfather of ISIS and other fundamentalist groups. The ultimate solution to this problem is regime change by the Iranian people and Resistance,” she said.

“This regime is extremely fragile and vulnerable. As evident during the 2009 uprising, the overwhelming majority of the Iranian people demanded regime change. The regime’s show of force is hollow and a result of weak Western policy.”

“Owing to the pivotal role of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) as a democratic Muslim movement, the Iranian Resistance has established itself as the antithesis to Islamic fundamentalism.”

Rajavi outlined the following practical steps necessary for defeating Islamic fundamentalism:

1) Expel the Quds Force from Iraq and end the Iranian regime’s influence in that country;

2) Enable full participation of Sunnis in power sharing and arm Sunni tribes to provide security for their communities;

3) Assist Syria’s moderate opposition and people to end Assad’s regime and establish democracy in that country;

4) Recognize the Iranian people’s aspirations to overthrow the mullahs and end inaction vis-à-vis the gross human rights violations in Iran.
5) Provide protection for, and uphold the rights of members of Iran’s organized opposition, the MEK, residing in Camp Liberty in Iraq.

6) Empower the true, democratic and tolerant Islam to counter fundamentalist interpretations of this religion; and

7) Block all pathways for the Iranian regime to acquire nuclear weapons.