Live Report: Day Three of Free Iran 2021 World Summit, “End Iran’s Regime Systematic Human Rights Violations”

Written by
Hamideh Taati

vowing to redouble the efforts to free Iran, as all developments indicate another uprising is on the horizon.

Today’s event focuses on the regime’s systematic human rights violations, the 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners across Iran, and the need to prosecute senior regime officials. Including the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, president-select Ebrahim Raisi, and Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the newly appointed judiciary chief.

The first two days of the “Free Iran” world summit featured international dignitaries and opposition supporters attending this largest-ever online event. This event was attended by nearly 1,029 politicians, 11 former Prime Ministers, and 70 former ministers. The Iranian Resistance’s virtual event is joining people from more than 50,000 locations throughout 105 countries calling on the international community to support the Iranian people in their quest to overthrow the oppressive theocracy ruling Iran.

The Free Iran Global Summit is the voice of the largest organized resistance in Iran, calling for the clerical regime’s overthrow; and echoes the Iranian people’s voice calling for a democratic Iran.

The content of this will be updated with the latest info about today’s gathering.
Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

“When it comes to the Iranian people’s relationship with the regime, the appointment of Ebrahim Raisi, the henchman of the 1988 massacre, to the presidency of the mullahs’ religious dictatorship is a reflection of the era of its overthrow,” said Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in her address to the conference. “And in political terms, it is the end for illusions of moderation within the regime. It marks the failure of Western governments’ policy of complacency toward the religious fascism.”

“As far as the international community is concerned, this is a test of whether it will engage and deal with this genocidal regime or whether it will stand with the Iranian people.

“We say to the world community, especially to Western governments, that Mullah Raisi is a criminal guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity in 1988.

“He is guilty because as one of the regime’s highest Judiciary officials during the last 40 years, he played a decisive role in the execution and murder of the Iranian people’s children.

“He is guilty because he is one of the leaders of a regime that killed 1,500 youths during the November 2019 uprising, a figure that researchers say is actually three times higher.

“Raisi is guilty because even today he defends all his past crimes and insists on continuing them.

“On behalf of the Iranian people and their Resistance, I emphasize that the United Nations and the international community should recognize the 1988 massacre in Iran as genocide and a crime against humanity.

“I call on the UN Security Council to take action to hold the leaders of the mullahs’ regime, especially Ali Khamenei, Raisi, and Ejeii, accountable for committing genocide and crimes against humanity. The United Nations must not allow Raisi to participate in the next session of the General Assembly. This would be an unforgivable insult to the peoples of all countries who send their representatives to the United Nations.”

Ingrid Betancourt, former Colombian Senator and Presidential Candidate

No matter the mask they choose to wear, Ahmadinejad, Rouhani, Raisi, they are all one and the same. They are all part of this blood-thirsty monster sitting in history with contempt for the values we share.

They won’t prevail. The end is here, and it has a name and face. The name is the name of every Ashrafi, and the face is the face of you, Maryam Rajavi. It is because of the example of your resilience and determination that young people in Iran are daring to defy this homicidal regime.

You are the custodians of that precious truth that the mullahs have tried to erase and rewrite. And they can meddle with the pages of the history books, they can erase the traces of the mass graves that speak of their crimes, they can even force people under torture to submit to their lies or by paying them, but they will never succeed in taming your hearts.

What keeps you together is not the hatred, the fear or the rage, the vengeance and the ferociousness, but the dignifying thirst of justice and truth, and the immense transforming power of the love you share for your country.

It is because young Iranians know this that they are following you. It is because there is the face of a woman that has suffered and doesn’t give up that represents the strength and the good in sheer contrast to the evil faces of the mullahs that Iranians are envisioning today the end of their nightmare.

Robert Torricelli, U.S. Senator (1997-2003)

In 1988 when the regime waged war on its own people attempting to destroy the MEK through murder, those who sought compromise lost legitimacy. Those who would rule from within and seek change lost the right to rule.

Only one organization never sought compromise, has no blood on its hands, never denied the freedom of any arrangement, stood tall and has the means, the resources and determination, to rule a free and democratic Iran at peace with the world, the MEK, and only one leader, Mrs. Rajavi.

We may have our differences on many issues in America, but when it comes to ending this regime and standing alongside the Iranian people, you cannot get a thin piece of paper between us on our resolve. It builds by the year. One voice, one policy, from one country.

Now the great choice will be in the family of nations. Will they take a stand? Hear me clearly. If the United Nations decides that Raisi belongs to the United Nations, then the United Nations does not belong in New York. We must not host terrorists, despots, and mass murderers. Take a stand!

Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of New York City (1994-2001)

The choice just made by the Ayatollah has in many ways to me better indication of just how fragile this regime is, and just how close this regime is to collapse.

To put in charge of your government a man that is a mass murder… is extraordinarily stupid.

That’s a sign that you really feel that things are moving against you, and you have to become as brutal as possible. The selection of Raisi is exactly that.

I don’t know that the international world really understands how many protests there have been, how far they have gone, how they have permeated the entire country, and they have permeated the social structure of Iran. But the regime understands what all of these protests mean.

You, Madam Rajavi, and your brave and wonderful movement, you are at the core of this.

You are an obsessive compulsion for Ayatollah Khamenei. You are an obsessive compulsion for them, you are an obsessive compulsion for all of the criminals that run Iran. They have proven to us that you are a legitimate alternative. And yet we have so many in the West who close their ears to it.

All Americans are with you in your fight for freedom. We are willing to sacrifice as if we are fighting for our own freedom because we admire you so much and we know how much you can do for the world.

Matteo Renzi, Prime Minister of Italy (2014-2016)

The relation between your country, the Middle East, and in general between you and the rest of the world will be particularly interesting because in that area we will play a crucial role for the future of humanity.

The countries with great history have to be part of the right path for the future. Only if we recognize what is the priority today and for that I think Iran is at a crucial point.

I think we have to admit three very important points:

Firstly, without a clear message of refusing the theocracy and dictatorship in Iran it will be impossible to write a page of freedom and our values of liberty.

Secondly, we have to accept the idea for the European Union to try to give hope for the people who fight against the regime. I think we have a very good message, and this is a good time.

Thirdly, it is not the time to fight for a nuclear bomb in Iran. It is a time to fight against poverty in Iran because it is unacceptable in a country so rich not only in history but in assets as your country to be in this situation.

We have to come back to open the doors of Iran to the global community and the global community to Iran. But the only way is through regime change.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden (2006-2014)

100,000 or more people that originate from Iran are now actually living in Sweden, following very closely what happens in the Middle East and in Iran. I know that this is an example for many of you and remember this is what happens with suppression and dictatorship. People flee, try to find a better life, and it is very often the most entrepreneurial that are trying to get away the first. The ones you really need to create, the best of societies, will instead end up somewhere else. That is the price you pay when you suppress freedom and when you do not tolerate that people are different.

The autocrats, the people with absolute power, are always afraid of their own population. They are always controlling their own people because that is the kind of paranoia that always evolves in this kind of country.

We also see that where there is absolute power, we have seen that they want to show themselves as being more democratic. Therefore, we see efforts to deliver elections as they say because everyone wants to look as if they have the popular support of their people. But don’t believe them. What they do is that they rig elections. We have seen this in Russia, and we have definitely seen it in Iran.

We need to stand up and say there is a better solution and that is of course the search for democracy. Democracy is not just the cast of votes. It has to be fair elections, it has to be open, it has to be allowing everyone to search for public office, and also with the right to bring out their message, and you need to have free and open media.

No one should have absolute power. All over the world we have learned the lesson that all forms of power need to be balanced.

It is so important that you are gathering today because you are hoping for something better like many people are doing all over the world in reaction to totalitarian rule and authoritarian rulers.

Enda Kenny, Prime Minister of Ireland (2011-2017)

We cannot stand for the 1988 massacre. The United Nations and the European Council must do more.

The governments who deal with Iran must consistently raise the question of human rights, floggings, disappearances, executions, and the denial of the rights that we take for granted.

The United Nations, European Council, the Council of Europe, and every government doing business with Iran must consistently raise the question of human rights and the infringement of those rights by this autocratic government.

Carlo Cottarelli, Director of the International Monetary Fund (2014), Prime Minister of Italy (2018)

Iran has been at the center of the world’s culture and economic development. It is sad, upsetting, and disturbing to see the Iranian people going through such difficult times over the last decade.

Iran’s poor economic performance points at mistakes in domestic policies, lack of economic reform, and severe shortcomings in the economic governance framework.

Over the last decades in the post-revolution era, the Iranian economy suffered from severe economic mismanagement, which added to the economic consequences of the political mismanagement.

MEP Guy Verhofstadt, Prime Minister of Belgium (1999-2008)

Iran will never become a democracy under the current regime. In the western press we talk a lot about hardliners and moderates, but I think as long as Khamenei holds the ultimate power, that is a hoax.

These elections were a farce and on top of this we cannot be sure that the official results have not been tampered with.

Today I want to also talk to you about the impact the election of Raisi will have for Iran’s relationship with the West.

The nuclear deal will only be possible and can only survive if the new Iranian leadership will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to do its job and I highly doubt that Raisi will be supportive of nuclear inspections.

We should not expect Iran to open up to the West. Raisi in fact hates our democratic values and let us not forget that he is under U.S. sanctions over a past that includes the extrajudicial killings of thousands of political prisoners.

We will probably see Iran intensify its attempts to control developments in neighboring states. Iran’s missile program and a more powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps will be dangerous for the security of the region.

Biden will have a hard time convincing the American public and Congress that the deal will be in the interest of the United States.

I believe we should strive to revive the deal but not at any cost. I think it would be a fatal mistake to only focus on the nuclear threat and regard human rights violations as a secondary issue.

We must pursue a dual strategy in which we put human rights higher on the agenda while trying to establish a safer environment in the Middle East.

The EU is still seen as an honest broker and must take its responsibility. So, I urge the High Commission for Foreign Policy, Mr. Borrell, to step up and develop a comprehensive plan to defend basic human rights in Iran and organize collective security in the Persian Gulf. And in this plan, we must put more emphasis on human rights than we have so far.

Petre Roman, Prime Minister of Romania (1989-1991)

The Iranian people have great hope that there is a solution for a peaceful and prosperous Iran.

The newly elected president of Iran is accused of perpetrating crimes against humanity, and of course, that means the UN investigations has to pursue proper, correct and fair investigations.

The Iranians who are fighting inside the country are fighting for freedom. They are in difficult and sometimes perilous conditions and deserve our highest esteem.

It is time for Iran to be peaceful and prosperous. It is time for Iran to abandon the path of an aggressive or violent attitude with respect to its neighbors.

The conference featured live calls from Resistance Units members inside Iran. These people, who are supporters of the MEK, are joining the conference at great risks to their lives, and they had to cover their faces to avoid being identified by Iranian regime security forces.

“During the past 40 years, the Iranian people have endured great pain and agony, and they are subject to brutal oppression by the rule of despotic models who have tried to silence our voices… your struggle is for their liberty and equality in a free Iran, and it has given us hope,” one of the speakers said.

Another, calling from Ahvaz, said, “We are very enthusiastic to visit you in Ahvaz. You are our hope while we are enduring great pain due to the lack of drinking water because of the despotic regime, while we are living near Karun, which is one of the biggest rivers in Iran.”

Calling from Tehran, a resistance unit member said, “I hope this will be the last year we watch your speech on satellite TV. I wish to promise you that next year we will have your speech in Tehran’s Freedom Square.”

Joe Lieberman, Senator from Connecticut (1989 – 2013)

There is only one solution that is left that will work and that is regime change in Iran. Everything else has been tried.

It is obvious that the regime itself will not change. So, the people of Iran, with the support of all of us outside of Iran, must change the regime.

The only viable course of action left is resistance and revolution, and I have never been more optimistic, my friends, that the regime in Iran is rotting at its core and is ready to fall.

In August of this year, instead of entering the presidential office in Tehran, Ebrahim Raisi should be led to the docket at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and charged with crimes against humanity.

The regime’s constant references and warnings about the MEK reveal its fear of the MEK and the NCRI. And it’s based on the fact that these organizations have exposed the regime’s worst behavior, its secret of nuclear weapons program, and its violent terrorist actions. The NCRI and MEK are clearly the most organized resistance organizations in Iran. They are the most competent and capable.

The NCRI and MEK are committed to enabling the people of Iran to choose their leaders in a free election.

How can world leaders, including America’s leaders, rationally negotiate with the regime that has killed thousands of American citizens and citizens of our allies and citizens, of course, of Iran itself? How could we negotiate with a nation that has constantly proven itself incapable of keeping its diplomatic promises, and how could we now possibly negotiate with a regime that has handpicked as its next president a mass murderer?

Raisi’s presidency ends the game of Iranian moderation as the Iranian people in their protests have chanted the game is over. That is why I believe the reality of Iran today leaves the people of Iran with only one option for a better life for themselves and their children, and that is regime change.

Each of us who live outside Iran must now decide and plan what will we do to support the Iranian Resistance as it rises up in revolution.

Here in America, we should work to convince the Biden administration that its own policies and values, which the President has said are to put human rights and democracy promotion at the heart of our foreign policy once again, must lead the administration to stop trying to negotiate with the evil government in Tehran and start supporting the people of Iran who want to overthrow it.

Biden’s lifetime record of bipartisanship and his campaign commitment last year to bring bipartisanship back to our government in Washington should convince him not to make any agreement with the regime in Tehran that does not have bipartisan support in Congress.

Robert Joseph, Former undersecretary of state for arms control and international security

Today the mullahs’ desperation is palpable. We can see it in the calls across Iran for an end to the intolerant and corrupt regime.

The people of Iran are rising up. They have simply had enough. They have seen their beloved country become a prison to those on the inside and a pariah to those on the outside.

The selection of Raisi as president is a reflection of the moral bankruptcy of the mullahs. Raisi is a documented mass murderer.

For my country and for others the first rule should be to do no harm. Do not take measures that will extend the life of the regime that will go down in history as one of pure evil.

We must stand for human rights and human dignity. We must be true to our words. We must not repeat the mistakes of 2015 when the regime was handed billions and billions of dollars which were then used to support terrorist proxies to commit acts of state terrorism, to kill hundreds of thousands in Syria and around the region and to expand the arsenal of missiles and other weapons.

No more resources for the regime. No more feeding the beast.

It is a common but false argument that stopping the regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon by rejoining the JCPOA must be the first priority. In fact, the resources that would flow to the regime would prolong the regime. It would prolong the repression of the Iranian people and it would also prolong the nuclear threat itself.

The regime is cheated on every agreement it has made, the NPT, the safeguards agreement, the additional protocol, and the JCPOA, even before the U.S. withdrawal. Who can believe that the regime does not now have a covert program, something it has maintained for 40 years? Who would sign yet another agreement with a party that has cheating in its DNA?

Senator Lieberman is right. There is only one solution and that is regime change. Of course, we must prevent them from having to nuclear weapons, and we can best do that by applying real pressure and letting the people prevail over the dictatorship.

Michael Mukasey, U.S. Attorney General (2007-2009)

The so-called election as we heard was in fact a hollow exercise, a sham to make sure that Raisi was picked. Raisi was a prominent member of the death commissions that organized the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran in 1988. This is not someone that any decent person or government should negotiate with. This is someone who we should insist they put before an international tribunal.

If any further proof were needed to character this regime, it is readily available in the record of the trial of Asadullah Assadi that concluded this year in a Belgian court. Assadi was an Iranian diplomat convicted of using his diplomatic cover to fly a bomb from Iran to Europe. It was to be exploded at a Free Iran rally. This was state terrorism, not just state sponsored terrorism, but at direct act of the regime to commit a terrorist attack outside Iran.

This is not a regime that will behave like a normal government, one that adheres to internationally recognized norms. The only way to end this regime’s behavior is to end this regime.

There is already democratic alternative to the corrupt and terrorists regime of the ayatollahs. It is the NCRI with its ten-point program for a democratic, secular, non-nuclear republic that guarantees equal rights for all people, men and women.

Louis Freeh, Director of the FBI (1993-2001)

The results of COVID in Iran particularly highlight the ineffectiveness of the regime but maybe more importantly the disregard that this regime has not just for human rights but for health rights.

Raisi is a documented suspect in war crimes but also crimes against humanity against the Iranian people. The international community, particularly its legal community and the responsible heads of states all over the world, should push very strongly for accountability and for bringing people to justice who have committed atrocious crimes.

Our government should keep [the regime’s criminal record] in mind as it tries to renegotiate a new pact [with the regime].

We will keep in mind this perspective which is a long view but a critical accountability issue which has to be addressed, and we will have the means and the will to do it and it will be the final act of justice against the regime that has abandoned any notion of justice.

John Bolton, U.S. National Security Advisor (2018 -2019)

It was evident from the outset that Raisi was the supreme leader’s preferred candidate, and they were going to take whatever steps necessary to make sure he was declared the winner.

I think when you couple that very low turnout with the rising level of protest in 2019 and 2020, again all around Iran, it shows just how fragile the regime support is and how ultimately its survival depends on the Revolutionary Guards.

The elevation of Raisi proves a number of very important points, most importantly, that there is no moderation in the views of the regime or in their objectives around the world.

I think you are going to see a continuation and I fear even an increase in internal repression since the people of Iran, and a continuation and even increase in belligerence internationally, in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

The real objectives of the regime in Tehran are not peace and security in the region. It is hegemony.

We have seen in the past couple of years in Europe and elsewhere increasing evidence that it is indeed the government of Iran itself, their diplomats, and their officials who are directing and aiding terrorist activities.

I think the selection of Raisi also proves that making concessions to the regime will not change their behavior. They view concessions by the West as a sign of weakness, and you know historically it is not strength that is provocative when viewed by authoritarian regimes; weakness is provocative. So, the more weakness we show, the more likely the ayatollah will cause trouble.

The efforts of the NCRI over the years to discover the secrets of the regime and its nuclear weapons program, its ballistic missile program, and making those pieces of information public have had a profoundly positive impact on the global debate about the threat posed by the regime.

We can say right now that the United States should not re-enter the JCPOA. It ought to continue efforts to expose the fallacies of that agreement and the dangers that it poses.

The United States should not lift its economic sanctions. They should continue in place and we should aid the people of Iran who are legitimate opponents of the regime who seek nothing more than freedom and the opportunity to pick their own government.

Our declared policy and its declared objective should be to overthrow the regime of the mullahs and replace it with a popularly elected government of the Iranian people.

Marc Ginsberg, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco (1994-1998)

In order to devise a proper strategy for Iran the United States has to take into account several myths which its supporters continue to traffic. One of the first myths of course is that this regime is allegedly moderate. The record of its domestic and foreign policies include repression at home and acts of state sponsored terrorism abroad.

A second myth that is propagated is that somehow rather if we just get back into the Iran nuclear agreement that was negotiated in 2015 all will be well and that Iran will moderate, and it will change its behavior in the Middle East. Before the previous administration withdrew from it Iran was secretly violating the Iran nuclear deal behind the very backs of the signatories as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency. All of the signatories to support must ask themselves and objectively ask themselves can they pretend to permit Iran to claim that it is abiding by an agreement that it violated from day one? The deception that continues to be propagated by Iran that Iran will do anything and everything to avoid a nuclear weapons development program is a sham while it inexorably continues its march to develop a nuclear weapon.

The third myth is that this regime is too powerful to implode on itself. While true that it will use any act of terror to eradicate its opponents, but the proof is really clear that the majority of Iranians want this dictatorship to crumble, and they have placed their lives in the streets of Tehran and throughout the cities of Iran to prove that they are not only willing to put their lives on the line but they are refusing to accept the ayatollahs edict that they vote in this last election which is a sham election.

There are democratic alternatives who enjoy the popular support of millions of Iranians suffering, truly represented by both at home and abroad by Madam Rajavi, the MEK and the NCRI.

Garry Kasparov, World Chess Champion, Pro-democratic political activist

The people of Iran are living under a tyrannical regime today. They deserve to determine their own lives. The interference caused by the regime damages the people of the country first.

The new president Ebrahim Raisi was chosen to play a role. The message is that the regime will not hesitate to commit more atrocities.

How can the free world, the world of democracies that supposedly values human life, negotiate with a regime of murders? How can the leaders of countries like the United States, which often talks about the importance of human rights, sit across the table from Raisi whose role in the 1988 massacre is well established?

Of course, they should not, not at the same table, not in the same room. Dictatorships do not change because of diplomacy and negotiations. They do not liberalize from engagement or deals or kindness. They only understand power. So, their power must be reduced.

The United States is repeating a terrible mistake by negotiating with Iran’s leaders in Vienna. These negotiations are waste of time for everyone except the regime that benefits from this elevated status.

The international community must bring maximum pressure on the Iranian regime to isolate its leaders and to support those fighting for democracy and human rights in Iran. To do anything less is to forget the crimes of the past, ignore the crimes of the present, and to enable the crimes of the future.

Ms. Matin Karim

Several former political prisoners addressed the conference and gave harrowing accounts of what happened in Iran’s prisons during the 1988 massacre, and the role of regime president Ebrahim Raisi.

Ms. Matin Karim spoke about the brutal tortures in the regime’s prisons that she witnessed when she was only 15 years old. She had first-hand experience of Raisi’s treatment of political prisoners, including torture, fake executions, and other pressure.

Mr. Majed Karim

Mr. Majed Karim, who also spent several years in Iran’s prisons, spoke about Raisi’s roles in Karaj prison. Raisi was on a mission to eradicate MEK members and supporters, Karim said. Raisi was especially harsh against students who supported the MEK and insulted their families. Some of his friends were executed under Raisi’s orders. Others were killed under torture under Raisi’s watch.

Mr. Mohamad Farmani

Mr. Mohammad Farmani, who was arrested in June 1981, described his experience. Raisi, as the prosecutor in the city of Karaj at the time, played a key role in the arrest, suppression, issuing fake charges, and executing prisoners. Farmani personally witnessed several executions.

Mr. Saleh Kohandel

Also speaking at the event was Mr. Saleh Kohandel, who spent 12 years of his life in prison on charges of supporting the PMOI. He has known several political prisoners who were executed by the Iranian regime. In his remarks, Kohandel spoke about the pressure the regime imposed on political prisoners, including depriving them of medical care and subjecting them to physical torture. He also spoke about the high spirits of the political prisoners, how they defied the pressure imposed by the regime, how they helped ordinary prisoners and informed them about the crimes of the regime.

John Baird, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2011-2015)

I want to say to you very clearly the people of Iran that the Canadian people are with you in your great struggle. One of the proudest moments that I had in public life over 20 years in government was the day when Canada made a big decision. Ten years ago, we said that we wanted nothing to do with the terrorists supporting, human rights violating regime in Tehran.

Western leaders must understand the charade and myth of reform, and that appeasement is possible in Iran is simply a mirage. It has failed for more than 40 years.

I want to join you in calling for accountability for this regime’s human rights violations, mass murders, repression, and for its support of terrorism not just in the region but frankly around the world.

I have a message for Ebrahim Raisi: you are not a legitimate leader, and you are not a legitimately elected president. The Iranian people will hold you to account for your actions and the world will hold you accountable for the blood on your hands.

Tony Clement, Canadian Minister of Industry (2008-2011) / Minister of Health (2006-2008)

We are all aware of the trials and tribulations suffered by the Iranian people as a direct result of the murderous Iranian regime. This is a decades-long tragedy now.

The recent national elections, or so-called elections, illustrates no softening of the regime’s authoritarian activities both at home and around the world. But this forum illustrates there can be hope and justice.

The regime’s state sponsorship of terrorism is well known. Less well known is perhaps the harassment of and threats to the Iranian diaspora, including Iranian Canadians. I have personally heard accounts of this harassment designed to quell critical voices and replace them with mouthpieces for the regime spouting the established narrative.

Canada, through its Parliament and diplomats, continues to demand accountability for the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight PS752 by the Iranian military with so many people aboard with connection to Canada. This further illustrates how important it is to hold Iranian authorities to account.

We must never forget about past atrocities simply because new atrocities have been committed. They all show a continuing and unabated course of conduct by the Iranian government.

Where does the Iranian regime share information, come to terms with its wrongs, and seek justice for the survivors? The short answer is this is not a trait of the Iranian regime, nor will it ever be so long as this government is in control.

Judy Sgro, Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2003-2005)

What strikes me most in this sham election was the overwhelming boycott by various strata of the Iranian society who in hundreds and thousands of online messages said that their vote is to overthrow this tyrannical regime.

The resilience and commitment of Ashraf 3 residents for a free and democratic Iran during these unimaginable difficult times is commendable.

By standing by the principles of Madam Rajavi’s ten-point plan, sooner or later, responsible actors will have to come and join the rally if they want to avoid the cycle of violence and warmongering.

Wayne Easter, Canadian MP, Member of the Joint Interparliamentary Council, Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food (2004–2006)

It is long past time for real justice and accountability in Iran.

Canada’s long called on Iranian authorities to uphold and respect democratic and human rights, including the right to freedom and expression.

Canada has also experienced that lack of accountability by Iran for the victims of Flight PS752.

Iran’s leadership will go far in terms of its abuse of authority in its denial of human rights and international law.

Mimi Kodheli, Minister of Defence of Albania (2013–2017)

Albania fully aligns with the EU, NATO, Council of Europe and IAEA positions of the issues of democracy, human rights, international, and nuclear security related to Iran.

Albania firmly believes and remains committed to the safeguard and promotion of the democratic principles and values it has always been standing by those who seek and fight for tolerance, democracy, and human rights which for us represents the foundation of peace and the foundation of our unconditional support in the fight against terrorism and all forms of fundamentalism.

Authorities across the Albanian political spectrum have expressed dismay over the Iranian regime’s hostile and malicious stands and activities towards and within the territory of Albania.

Albania remains firm in its commitment alongside NATO, the US, and other partner countries in the fight against international terrorism, and any act that endangers world stability and peace. In several cases Albanian authorities have identified and prevented dangerous activities organized by individuals linked with Iranian terrorist groups.

Albania in general has always been a shining example of tolerance and religious coexistence where people respect each other as equals regardless of faith and cultural backgrounds.

Ad Melkert, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Iraq (2009–2011)

More than 40 years have passed since the first call for justice after the 1988 mass killings in Iran. Last September, seven7 special UN rapporteurs addressed the Iranian regime in a letter which was, according to the UN procedures, made public after the addressee failed to respond.

With more than 40 years passed and the indignation and impatience of the international community growing, I cosigned an open letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights seeking a Commission of Inquiry into crimes that took place in Iran in 1988.

It has become even more urgent now that international humanitarian law prevails, and consequences be drawn as Iran’s presidency will change in just a few weeks from now.

Timo Juhani Soini, Foreign Minister of Finland (2015–2019) & Deputy Prime Minister (2015-2017)

The system of Iran doesn’t give people a chance for a democratic society. But the country has all the basic elements for success.

Human rights violations have not only continued but they have increased after Raisi was nominated as judiciary chief in November 2019.

Iranians really have the capability to cry for freedom and it is getting louder every day, and no president can stop or silence it.

Dictators are clinging to each other. They fear all kinds of revolutions. Every ideology, religion, belief, or value becomes secondary and irrelevant, and the number one goal remains to stay in power.

They keep Assad in power in Syria, they have mutual interests and serve the same kind of mentality and in order to avoid official direct involvement in the crisis they support proxy groups in different parts of the Middle East.

When it comes to the West the United States and Europe must adopt a common unified policy. You must have a justifiable long-term policy to follow systematically. 600 million Europeans need a calm and harmonious voice. Human rights must be protected and promoted both home and abroad.

The Iranian people need friends and supporters, but the key ingredient for sustainable change can only stem from the Iranians themselves.

 

Live Report: Day Three of Free Iran 2021 World Summit, “End Iran’s Regime Systematic Human Rights Violations”