An Iranian Voice Republicans and Democrats Should Heed

Okay. Let’s face it. The two presidential nominees have effectively been chosen. The Democratic and Republican National Conventions are ahead of us, and the U.S. is on the precipice of a highly contentious several months of campaigning.
Discord between the two major parties is always evident in American politics, but almost never more so than in the run-up to national elections. It would not be surprising if Washington lawmakers and the vast majority of their constituents all found it very difficult to identify common ground on anything in this political climate.
But there are some things that almost all Americans can agree on. There are more situations than you might realize in which Democrats and Republicans want to achieve the same goals, although we struggle to find a shared perspective on working toward them.
There is perhaps no better example than the universal imperative to confront the threat of Islamic extremism. There has been well-publicized discord over issues like the growth of the Islamic State, the response to home-grown terrorism, and attempts to stabilize the Middle East. But this only goes to show that both parties are preoccupied with pinning down a solution.
It may not seem so, but Republicans and Democrats absolutely can find common ground on this area of policy. In a very meaningful sense, some already have. If you look to Paris just about a week prior to the Cleveland RNC, you will see Republican and Democratic policymakers, including officials from several presidential administrations, standing side-by-side to show common cause in the fight against Islamic terrorism.
On July 9 they will take part in the convention (ironically bigger in size than either the RNC or DNC) organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the democratic Iranian opposition. The “Free Iran” gathering in Paris will host a bipartisan American delegation, along with delegations from the EU and various nations of the world.
The consistently broad appeal of the NCRI goes a long way toward demonstrating that the fight against Islamic terrorism and extremism — and the effort to enlist allies in that fight — is in no way a partisan issue. Success will depend strongly upon the principle of coalition building. No one president, no one political party — not even one nation — can take on a global phenomenon like Islamic terrorism on its own.
Whoever occupies the White House next year will need help from both inside and outside his or her own administration to do all that will be necessary to undermine fundamentalism — like standing up to the egregious conduct of the Iranian regime, fighting the Islamic State, facilitating the removal of embattled regional dictators like Bashar al-Assad, and making sure that the peoples of that region have strong, recognizable alternatives to the extremist groups currently vying for dominance.
As the Republican and Democratic Parties prepare speeches on global affairs and foreign policy ahead of their conventions, they could learn a thing or two from the NCRI’s rally, in particular from NCRI President Maryam Rajavi, a devout and profoundly anti-fundamentalist Muslim woman leader. With a clear understanding of Islamic extremism, she has maintained that moderate democratic Islam is the antidote to the violent conduct of extremists under the cloak of Islam.
And her movement has paid a heavy price for it. Some 120,000 of the activists of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK), the main constituent of the NCRI have been executed in Iran in the past three decades for standing up to Islamic extremists ruling in Iran.
The Democratic and Republican presence at that rally means that there will be people from each party who are prepared to convey her perspective to their colleagues regarding the prospects for moderate Muslims in the Middle East; the destructive role of Iran, Assad and Iraqi Shiite militias in the spread of extremism throughout the region; and the means by which that spread can be halted.
Clearly, the NCRI knows a thing or two about bringing people together in common cause. Last year’s rally drew 100,000 people from across the world. Now, as then, the rally will include not just Iranians but also representatives of the moderate Syrian opposition and other anti-Islamist movements.
The ten-point plan of the NCRI includes the establishment of truly democratic governance in the Middle East, the separation of religion and state, an end to institutional misogyny, and the promotion of other principles that hold equally obvious appeal for all Americans, and indeed for all civilized peoples of the world.
Here’s hoping that coming so close on the heels of the NCRI rally, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions will put more focus on these principles that can bring us together in such an important common cause. The message from Paris is one that both conventions would be wise to heed.

Video clip of aftermath of rocket attack on Camp Liberty

MARYAM RAJAVI: DEFEAT OF MULLAHS' AGGRESSION IN THE REGION IS ESSENTIAL TO SECURE THE IRANIAN PEOPLE'S FREEDOM

 maryam rajavi e743cd4cc7e09fbaaf

Message to the British Parliament on the declaration by the majority of UK’s elected representatives in support of the Iranian ResistanceHonorable members of the British Houses of Parliament,Dear friends of the Iranian Resistance,I salute your conference!I am grateful for the initiative by the majority of United Kingdom’s elected representatives in support of the Iranian Resistance for freedom and democracy. This is a commendable step towards the adoption of a responsible policy vis-a-vis the Iranian regime and the entire Middle East. In light of the Iranian regime's nefarious role in the crisis in the region, this initiative has also addressed the interests of the people of the region, the people of Europe and the world, in general.Also let me congratulate you for officially registering the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom in the British Parliament. There is no doubt this has been a great achievement and a result of all your tireless efforts and the enduring support by the honorable elected members of the UK parliament for Iranian resistance movement throughout many years.
Dear friends, One year after the nuclear agreement, contrary to some expectations in the West, there has not been any opening in Iran; the situation has dramatically worsened.There have been more executions and arrests, flogging of workers for demanding their past-due wages, arrests and lashing of youths for taking part in coed parties. Concerts have been banned, and political prisoners have come under more pressure.On the other hand, the Iranian economy is in a deep recession, with banks near bankruptcy, unemployment rate reaching 50 percent and the majority of the people living in poverty.The internal power struggle has escalated. The sham elections in March further reinforced the position of the most repressive mullahs in power. Once again it was proven that there would be no moderation within the religious dictatorship ruling Iran. The clerical regime lacks the capacity to change its behavior. No solution is conceivable within the regime.The mullahs have stepped up their meddling in Syria. In Iraq, the Quds Force has repeatedly massacred the Sunnis. The important development in this regard has been the successive defeats and heavy casualties suffered by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its militia in Syria. The indisputable fact is that the Syrian conflict has turned into a quagmire for the regime.The regime has stepped up repression and warmongering because it faces growing discontent at home. It is intent on preventing any expression of discontent, or a repeat of the 2009 uprising. But, the regime’s aggressive behavior in the region must be viewed as a sign of its weakness and not power; it needs to export its crises abroad.Khamenei and other leaders of the regime have acknowledged that if they do not fight in Syria, in Iraq and in Yemen, their power base in Tehran would be undermined. This explains why Iran's ruling regime has turned into the main source of instability in the region. On the one hand, it repeatedly breaches the sovereignty of other nations in the Middle East. On the other hand, it cracks down on Sunnis and other dissident and democratic forces. This provides a breeding ground for Daesh. Many attest to the fact that Daesh and IRGC have a symbiotic relationship. In practice, both benefit from one another.Because the mullahs’ warmongering in the region is contrary to the highest interests of the Iranian people, prevents the Iranian Resistance from establishing freedom and democracy in Iran, and has also destroyed the Iranian economy, the Iranian Resistance is putting forth a plan to counter the mullahs' belligerence and its attempts to occupy the region.The plan calls on the U.S., Europe and regional powers to adopt several practical steps, outlined as follows:1. Compelling the Iranian regime to remove its forces and affiliated militia from Syria. Adopting punitive measures, including sanctions, against the Iranian regime if it refused to do so. Blocking the Iranian regime’s participation in the talks on the transfer of power to the people of Syria. 2. Refraining from cooperation or coordination with IRGC and the militia under its command as well as other military and security forces of the Iranian regime on the pretext of fighting Daesh in Iraq or in Syria.3. Strictly implementing Security Council Resolution 2231 by taking effective practical measures to prevent the Iranian regime from sending arms to terrorist groups and to countries in the region, especially to Iraq and Syria. Holding it to account for any breaches. 4. Cutting ties with the Iranian regime by Arab and Muslim countries and expelling the regime from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation until it ends its regional meddling.5. Providing all-out political, financial and military support to the moderate Syrian opposition already recognized by many countries. 6. Predicating all political and economic relations with the Iranian regime on ending its meddling in the region, banning all deals with IRGC-affiliated companies, and investment in their projects as well as exchanges with the Iranian regime's banks, which engage in money laundering and fund terrorist groups.Dear friends,On behalf of the Iranian people and Resistance, I would like to appreciate your efforts in support of the Iranian people's freedom and human rights as well as your support for the safety and security of the freedom fighters in Camp Liberty.

US: Iran's government make no sufficient efforts to prevent human trafficking

 US Trafficking in Persons Report 2016 says 

US Trafficking in Persons Report 2016 says Iranian officials are involved in the coerced recruitment and use of Afghan men for combat in SyriaThe report puts Iran in the lowest Tier 3 of its four-step classification of countries. Iran has been classified in the lowest category since 2009. Other Tier 3 countries include North Korea, Russia, Sudan and Syria.Fallowing is part of US State Department's annual 'Trafficking in Persons Report 2016' about Iran:IRAN: Tier 3 Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Accurate information on human trafficking in Iran is difficult to obtain. Organized groups reportedly subject Iranian women, boys, and girls to sex trafficking in Iran and in Afghanistan, the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, and Europe. Iranian girls between the ages of 13 and 17 are targeted by traffickers for sale abroad…An increase in the transport of girls from and through Iran en route to other Gulf States for sexual exploitation has been reported from 2009-2015; during the reporting period, Iranian trafficking networks subjected Iranian girls to sex trafficking in brothels in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region…In Tehran, Tabriz, and Astara, the number of teenage girls exploited in sex trafficking continues to increase. Organized criminal groups kidnap or purchase and force Iranian and immigrant children to work as beggars and street vendors in cities, including Tehran. These children, who may be as young as 3, are coerced through physical and sexual abuse and drug addiction; reportedly many are purchased for as little as $150. In January 2016, an international organization reported the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) coerced male Afghans resident in Iran, including migrants and refugees, to fight in military brigades deployed to Syria by threatening them with arrest and deportation to Afghanistan. Afghan boys in Iran are vulnerable to sexual abuse by their employers and harassment or blackmailing by the Iranian security service and other government officials. Traffickers subject Afghan migrants, including boys, to forced labor in construction and agricultural sectors in Iran. Trafficking networks smuggle Afghan nationals living in Iran to Europe and force them to work in restaurants to pay off debts incurred by smuggling fees.Pakistani men and women migrants in low skilled employment, such as domestic work and construction, are targeted by organized groups and subjected to forced labor, debt bondage, restriction of movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse. Increasingly, despite labor code protections for registered foreign workers, employers seek adjustable contracts which make workers vulnerable to exploitative work practices such as coerced overtime and denial of work benefits. The government did not distinguish between trafficking victims, those seeking refugee status, and undocumented immigrants, and held foreign trafficking victims in detention centers and jails until their deportation… The government did not make sufficient efforts to prevent human trafficking. The government did not improve transparency on its anti-trafficking policies or activities, nor did it make discernible efforts to forge partnerships with NGOs or international organizations to combat human trafficking. The government made no discernible efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, forced labor, or child sex tourism by Iranian citizens traveling abroad... The government has not ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, despite previous reports the parliament was reviewing the convention. Iran is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.




 The US State Department has issued its annual 'Trafficking in Persons Report 2016' on 30 June 2016. 
Iran government made minimal efforts to prevent trafficking…  
The Government of Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. As in previous reporting periods, the government did not share information on its anti-trafficking efforts. Public information from NGOs, the media, international organizations, and other governments indicates the Iranian government is not taking significant steps to address its extensive trafficking problem, particularly with regard to the protection of trafficking victims. Furthermore, during the reporting period, allegations arose of complicity by Iranian officials in the coerced recruitment and use of Afghan men for combat in Syria...Moreover, female victims of sexual abuse, including sex trafficking victims, are subject to prosecution for adultery, which is defined as sexual relations outside of marriage and is punishable by death… Source: US State Department 

Gérard Deprez MEP: Human rights abuse in 

Iran continues despite European optimism

Deprez chairs the Friends of a Free Iran 

Mr. Deprez chairs the Friends of a Free Iran group in the European Parliament

Writing for Euractiv on Friday, July 1, Mr. Deprez is vice-president of the Belgian Liberal Mouvement Reformateur Party and chairs the Friends of a Free Iran group in the European Parliament said: Last week I, together with 270 of my colleagues in the European Parliament from all political groups, including six vice-presidents of the Parliament, signed a joint statement decrying the human rights situation in Iran. We called on European governments to require improvements to that situation before further expanding relations with Tehran and expressed our concern for the rising number of executions in Iran since the so-called “moderate” president Hassan Rouhani took office three years ago.In his latest reports to the UN Human Rights Commission, Dr Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Iran, pointed out that nearly 1,000 people were put to death in Iranian jails during the year 2015 alone. He has clarified that this represents the worst period of executions in 27 years, in a nation that consistently executes more people per capita than any other.The trend continues to this day, even in the wake of the implementation of the Iranian Nuclear Deal. It continues even as some European politicians insist on regarding the Rouhani administration as moderate, and as a potential source of internal reforms in the months and years to come.Iranian opposition sources have added to Shaheed’s statistics by noting that President Rouhani has overseen a total of approximately 2,500 executions during his three years in office. Various Iran-focused human rights organizations have continued to report executions in recent weeks and have pointed out, for instance, that at least 73 people were hanged in May, some even in front of public crowds that included young children.Such brutal spectacles are only one of the ways in which the Iranian regime maintains its commitment to plainly medieval values, regardless of whether Western observers keep up scrutiny and pressure on Tehran’s behavior, or praise it for its “moderation”. Repressive measures against women and religious minorities have continued to increase. The joint statement by the European lawmakers highlights not only the overall scope of executions, but also the fact that Iran leads the world in executions of juvenile offenders. Victims of Iranian hangings include political prisoners convicted of “crimes” like “enmity against God”, which may consist of nothing more than donating money to media outlets linked to the opposition PMOI, or otherwise speaking out against the regime’s abuses.Even those who avoid the noose may be punished with either excessively long prison sentences or forms of legally mandated violence that would be shocking to any civilized person. According to the last report from Amnesty International, the country’s fundamentalist leadership continues to cling to the literal doctrine of “an eye for an eye”, and has very recently carried out punishments that involve blinding prisoners or removing their limbs.Sentences of flogging are not only eagerly meted out by Iran’s revolutionary courts; they appear to be increasingly popular as ways of attempting to “correct” the behavior of a restive population, particularly women, who are thoroughly fed up with forced Islamic dress codes, comprehensive media censorship, and the criminalisation of anything resembling Western society. Near the end of May, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned “the outrageous flogging of up to 35 young men and women in Iran” who had been rounded up at a graduation party and almost immediately subjected to 99 lashes each for removing headscarves and dancing with the opposite gender.For those who have been waiting for signs of reforms from inside the Iranian regime, surely that wait has gone on long enough. Former claims of moderation have been thoroughly contradicted in both word and deed by the regime in general, and by the Rouhani administration in particular. The laws leading to the above-mentioned executions and physical violence have all been eagerly embraced by the Iranian president, who has described them as “the law of God” and “the laws of the parliament, which belongs to the people”.In reality, the Iranian parliament belongs to no one other than the ruling theocracy. The recent political victories for Rouhani’s faction were nothing other than victories of one hardline wing over another. All genuine reformists were ousted from the race long before the Iranian people had any opportunity to weigh in on the future of the country. And more than that, many of the staunch opponents of repressive theocracy and fundamentalism were ousted from the country altogether, years ago.On 9 July, many lawmakers from Europe, the United States, and throughout the world will join in the international rally of the Iranian opposition in Paris under the leadership of Maryam Rajavi to emphasise our commitment to supporting the Iranian people’s aspiration for democratic change.Our message is that the Iranian people cannot afford European and American policies that continue to avoid putting pressure on the regime over the human rights situation. No amount of economic growth or trade with Iran can make up for the pain and loss of life that will persist if the regime is allowed to commit its newfound wealth to the same old human rights abuses.

 MPs andClose to 400 British Peers British Peers 

british mp 

Iran Focus

London, 1 Jul - At a conference in the House of Commons on Thursday, June 30, UK policy toward Iran was discussed by a panel consisting of experts on Iranian affairs and parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament and each major political party, Politics Home reported on Friday.

The parliamentarians expressed their concern over recent increases in the number of executions in Iran, the use of barbaric punishments, such as flogging and amputations by Iranian authorities, and arbitrary arrests under bogus charges like undermining “national security” or “Mohareb (enmity towards God)“.

Speakers pointed out that the intensified crackdown on civil society, suggest that the regime has no other answer to the legitimate democratic aspiration of the Iranian people or the increasing levels of popular dissent.

The Rt Hon David Jones MP presented an initiative supported by nearly 400 members of all major parties in both Houses of Parliament. The initiative urges the UK Government to adopt a firm, responsible policy towards Tehran. It laid out the following recommendations as the base of such policy:

1. Strongly condemning human rights violations and demanding a halt to executions.

2. Requiring Iran to remove its Revolutionary Guards and mercenary forces from other countries, especially Syria and Iraq.

3. Guaranteeing the safety and protection of Iranian dissident exiles residing at Camp Liberty until they all depart from Iraq and reach supporting host countries, especially Albania.

4. Calling on the EU, US and world leaders to support the 10 point plan for the future of Iran, presented by the Iranian opposition leader, Maryam Rajavi, which emphasises the establishment of a secular democratic republic, free elections, gender equality in all fields, prohibition of discrimination, abolition of the death penalty, and peace and coexistence in the region and the world.

In her message to the conference, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), thanked the MPs and Peers for their initiative and support and said, the Supreme Leader “Khamenei and other leaders of the regime have acknowledged that if they do not fight in Syria, in Iraq and in Yemen, their power base in Tehran would be undermined. This explains why Iran's ruling regime has turned into the main source of instability in the region … Because the mullahs’ warmongering in the region is contrary to the highest interests of the Iranian people, prevents Iranian Resistance from establishing freedom and democracy in Iran, and has also destroyed the Iranian economy.”

Struan Stevenson, a former MEP who chaired the Friends of a Free Iran intergroup (caucus) in the European Parliament for over 10 years, added: “Iran cannot be part of the solution to the conflicts raging in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya. It is part of the problem. Iran exports terror … the West should be entering into dialogue with the political coalition that is the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), rather than pussyfooting around with the mullahs in Tehran”.

Other speakers at the conference included Mark Williams MP; Steve McCabe MP; Bob Blackman MP; Lord Clarke of Hampstead CBE; Lord Alton of Liverpool; Lord Cotter; Professor Sara Chandler, Vice President of European Bars Federation and member of the Law Society; Mr Masoud Zabeti, president of the Committee of Anglo-Iranian lawyers; Ms Naghmeh Rajabi, Representative of the Anglo-Iranian Youth and Women Society.

A delegation of British MPs and Members of the House of Lords plan to attend the Iranian opposition’s annual “Free Iran” rally in Paris on 9 July. 

 Iran Nuclear Deal Failure: How Obama Abandoned the Iranian Resistance

July 14 marks the one-year anniversary of the end of nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The deal was an abject failure in that it did nothing to alleviate concerns in America and abroad about Iran’s prospective path to a nuclear weapon, nor discourage Iran’s aggressive and destabilizing behavior.

Nevertheless, in January, Congress still went forward with this deal. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Obama administration went further, and encouraged European investment in Iran.

Iran’s behavior both in the run-up to the agreement – known as JCPOA – and in the aftermath was incredulous. Only Obama would not recognize what Iran did as total disdain for him and America.

For example, Iran has performed several test-launches of nuclear capable ballistic missiles, in clear violation of the agreement. Next was the seizure of 10 American sailors in January, an act for which America was made to apologize.

Since Obama’s red line, Iran has grown its Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah forces in Syria. As if that wasn’t enough of an affront to the Obama ultimatum, direct statements by Iranian officials suggest that the Islamic Republic is ready, willing, and able to engage in open conflict with the US and its allies.

One can only wonder if Obama still believes that Iran is tiny, a comment he made in underscoring their ability to be a military threat.

Iran’s domestic behavior has followed the same trajectory. International human rights observers have determined that the rate of executions is the worst it has been in 27 years. Iranian authorities continue their crackdown on political dissidents, artists, activists, and anyone who appears sympathetic to Western or secular views. This has led to a number of high profile arrests, along with untold many others that have failed to make international headlines. With the exception of the JCPOA itself, virtually every news story that has emerged from the Islamic Republic over the last year has been further confirmation of Iran’s continued foreign aggression and domestic repression.

In spite of this however, the White House’s emphasis on the “success” of the nuclear agreement has made the past year yet another year of lack-luster Iran policy, embarrassingly what will undoubtedly be one of the legacies of Obama. The Iran nuclear agreement appears to have been done solely so the administration can justify its refusal to confront Iranian abuses and provocations. Further, the agreement has helped to justify the refusal to take any proactive steps regarding the broader Middle East, which can only be described as a disaster of (former Secretary of State) “Clintonian” proportions.

As recently as last week, Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that Iran’s influence in the fight against ISIS has been a net positive. With 65+ million refugees on the run worldwide mostly from Muslim countries, and ISIS committing atrocities routinely, Kerry’s comments can only be seen as a misinformation campaign. Iran’s intervention has escalated sectarian tensions, and driven recruitment to both Sunni and Shiite militant groups. Yet Obama blames the growth of ISIS and other terrorist groups on Donald Trump.

Iran’s influence in Iraq has encouraged an ongoing blockade and several attacks – using Iranian weapons – against the former US military base of Camp Liberty, a territory near the Baghdad airport that is now occupied by members of the Iranian resistance group the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK). This group was relocated to that area under an agreement with the US, the UN, and Iraq, as the area was established to facilitate speedy relocation of the PMOI members to foreign territory.

Four years later, dozens more Camp Liberty residents have been killed as their need for refuge has been largely neglected. It seems the Obama administration has little regard that its lack of protection violates the Protected Persons Status given to these residents by the US during the Iraq War. This atrocity alone showcases the shocking betrayal of American values that Obama references so often: “That’s not who we are.”

The US government is making no serious efforts to relocate members of the PMOI, but that’s not the worst part. Far worse is the fact that the United States government is now actively cooperating with a regime that attacks Iranian expatriates on foreign territory and prevents them from returning to their Persian homeland.

Not everyone in US government has neglected the plight of the PMOI, however. Some congressmen have been constant advocates for the Iranian resistance. Other politicians and advocates have shown their earnest support each summer in Paris, when the PMOI’s parent coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran holds its Iran Freedom rally.

This year’s event is scheduled for July 9, and its participants will certainly make an effort to more definitively undermine the Obama administration’s narrative of Iranian moderation.

The purpose of the event and ongoing efforts is to provide a clear understanding of why the JCPOA has had no impact on the Iranian people’s prospects for freedom from a repressive, theocratic regime. The NCRI leadership will outline the reasons why Obama’s successor must take proactive steps to put renewed pressure on Tehran.

The next president of the United States must exert this pressure. This pressure should not be singularly focused on the still-unresolved nuclear issue. He must also deal with Iran’s extraordinary human rights abuses, include its world-leading misuse of the death penalty, its aggressive censorship of media and the internet, and its dangerous interventions in places like Iraq and Syria.

Hopefully the next president of the United States will take the bolder and even more essential move of endorsing the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a group that is much like the Tea Party movement in America. NCRI wants to change the government of Iran, and give it back to the people.

The July 9 gathering, expected to attract upwards of 100,000 people, will go a long way toward highlighting the grassroots appeal that the resistance enjoys both internationally and inside the Islamic Republic. This event is evidence that the opportunity exists for regime change to be facilitated by the Iranian people themselves, through a larger repeat of the 2009 uprising.

There is no risk to the United States, no risk to American lives or American wealth in the proposal of the NCRI. The question is why does the Obama administration cooperate and negotiate with such a Iran, and wholly neglect the wishes of the people? The answer likely lies in how Obama views the Tea Party Community in America. For Obama, government is the answer, no matter how tyrannical.