{"id":234670,"date":"2021-02-07T08:37:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-07T13:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=234670"},"modified":"2023-02-01T05:13:04","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T04:13:04","slug":"amb-joseph-judiciary-has-finished-it-work-now-governments-should-decisively-address-iran-regimes-terrorism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/terrorism-a-fundamentalism\/amb-joseph-judiciary-has-finished-it-work-now-governments-should-decisively-address-iran-regimes-terrorism\/","title":{"rendered":"Amb. Joseph: Judiciary Has Finished It Work, Now Governments Should Decisively Address Iran Regime\u2019s Terrorism"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Robert-Joseph\"<\/a>
Ambassador Robert Joseph, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security-File photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Thursday, a court in Belgium convicted Assadollah Assadi<\/a>, Iran\u2019s diplomat-terrorist, and his three accomplices to a total of 70 years in prison on charges of terrorism. Assadi received the maximum sentence of 20 years for his leading role in the foiled bomb plot against the opposition\u2019s Free Iran rally<\/a> in 2018 in France.<\/p>\n

Assadi\u2019s conviction marks a historic point in Europe-Iran relations and confirms the Iranian regime\u2019s state-sponsored and institutionalized terrorism.<\/p>\n

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The Belgian court and Belgium\u2019s Judiciary finished their legal task, and now it is time for Western governments to \u201cto act decisively, knowing that further concessions to the regime will only bring more injustice to the Iranian people and more criminal and terrorist acts,\u201d as Ambassador Robert Joseph, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, said during an online conference<\/a> on Thursday.<\/p>\n

The full text of Ambassador Joseph\u2019s remarks is below:<\/h2>\n

This is truly a historic day. It\u2019s also a day of total vindication for the NCRI and for the cause of a free Iran.<\/p>\n

Following Senator Torricelli is never easy. Following the Senator and Governor Ridge makes it a particularly significant challenge for me, as both of those individuals stand out as true American statesmen and patriots, and I thank them for their many, many contributions.<\/p>\n

What I\u2019d like to do is comment on what is often called the \u201cSo What Question.\u201d In this case, the question before us is what action policymakers should take in light of what we have learned from the trial and now from the verdicts of Assadi, the terrorist diplomat, and his three accomplices. At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I think it\u2019s important to start with the principal findings that were presented by the prosecution as they provide the proper context for the So What Question.<\/p>\n

In short, they are first, this was a deliberate act of state terrorism ordered by and conducted by the Iranian regime. Assadi, the principal defendant, was found to be a senior official of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, assigned to the Iranian Embassy in Vienna and masquerading as a diplomat.<\/p>\n

Second, Assadi was not acting alone. He was not a rogue agent. He was in regular contact with higher-level officials in Tehran, receiving his orders from them. He took personal possession of the bomb which had been transported on a commercial airline from Tehran. And designed by professionals to cause maximum damage, maximum death, maximum destruction of those attending the convention in Paris.<\/p>\n

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Amb. Robert Joseph: Assadi was not acting alone, he was not a rogue agent. He used his diplomatic status as cover for his terrorist activities & undoubtedly the Ministry of foreign affairs was fully aware of his identity. #Time4FirmIranPolicy<\/a> #Iran<\/a>https:\/\/t.co\/wEGMX4XmBQ<\/a><\/p>\n

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 4, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n