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French parliamentarians meet to discuss democratic change in Iran

French parliamentarians meet to discuss democratic change in IranNCRI – French parliamentarians met to discuss democratic change in Iran on Wednesday, June 7. A large number of French lawmakers and distinguished figures attended the meeting to listen to Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, and exchange views on the latest developments in Iran and the state of the Iranian Resistance for freedom and democracy.

The meeting was called by five senior members of the French National Assembly and the Senate, Mr. Pascal Terrasse, chairman of the Ardeche province Socialist Party council and a member of the party’s National Secretariat; Marc Reymann of the ruling UMP party and the vice-chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union; Gerard  Charasse from Radical Left Party; Georges Hage from the French Communist Party and Senator Jean-Pierre Michel of the French Socialist Party and the founder of the French Union for Judges.

Speakers in the meeting including former Socialist French Prime Minister, Edith Cresson, and number of the parliamentarians strongly condemned the gross violations of human rights in Iran and highlighted the need for a firm policy against the regime and its nuclear ambitions.

Following his introductory remarks as the Chairman, Terrasse called on Mrs. Rajavi to address the meeting on the current situation in Iran and its prospects.

Mrs. Rajavi appreciated the initiative by the French parliamentarians and drew their attention to anti-regime upheavals in four northeastern Iran provinces in recent weeks and student protests and said: "The recent protests have a clear message. People of Iran want change and they are ready for change."

"The mullahs’ propaganda that people support their nuclear program is a big lie. Iranians know well that they are the prime victims of the mullahs’ nuclear ambitions," added Mrs. Rajavi.

Rejecting a military intervention in Iran and the policy of appeasement, she said: "We see today that greater incentives are offered to the regime under the pretext of opposing a war. This is a recipe for a catastrophe. Europe should learn from its history. Giving part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler did not fulfill his desires but awarded him an opportunity to prepare for further expansionism." She then emphasized: "The policy of appeasement and sacrificing Iranian people will not prevent the war. The mullahs’ should not be allowed to exploit opposition to the war as a justification to acquire nuclear weapons."

While expressing her grave concern over the Iranian regime’s nuclear program, Mrs. Edith Cresson appreciated the work done by the Iranian Resistance to draw the world attention to this matter and stressed that the activities of the Resistance enjoys widespread support in France. She hoped that by helping the Iranian Resistance democracy would prevail in Iran. She also congratulated Mrs. Rajavi for leading a movement which offers new hopes and receives growing support among French people and their representatives at the National Assembly.

Addressing Mrs. Rajavi, Mr. Jerard Charasse said: "You are the most organized opposition movement. I am aware of the extent of support you have in Iran. This is a resistance which truly deserves support of the French public and parliamentarians and I thank you for your activities."

Senator Pierre Michelle described the situation in Iran unacceptable and made references to the plight of women, the regime’s opponents and its nuclear threats. He reiterated that the prevailing silence in France towards the Resistance should be broken and today’s meeting was the place for the parliamentarians to express their support to the Resistance. "As parliamentarians, we are responsible and we are here with full knowledge of the nature of the resistance movement and think that the resistance deserves to be supported." He denounced the injustice against the resistance in France which has been the result of the policy of appeasement and called for extensive efforts to remove the People’s Mojahedin of Iran from the terror list.

At the end of the meeting today, the parliamentarians adopted a declaration which condemned clerical regime’s meddling in Iraq and expressed deep concern on the mullahs’ nuclear weapons program. The declaration in part lent support to Mrs. Rajavi’s opposition to foreign military intervention in Iran and her call on France to adopt a firm policy against the clerical regime within the frame work of the European Union and called for a new policy on Iranians and their resistance for democratic change and fundamental freedoms.

The declaration also added: "We support the National Council of Resistance’s plans to establish a republic based on separation of church and state and pluralism in Iran which respects the equal rights for women and men and guarantees the rights of ethnic and religious minorities."