ISJ: Iran Democratic Revolution – Correct EU Policy

Today, the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ) in a press conference at the Brussels Press Club, introduced a book entitled “Iran Democratic Revolution – Correct EU Policy” and spoke about the conditions of Iran’s revolution, its prospects, the regime’s malign activities and the solution for a democratic and secular Iran.

The book explains the difficult situation in Iran. Dr. Behrouz Pouyan an assistant university professor and a political analyst in Tehran wrote under his pseudonym for security reasons and guides the reader through the current situation in Iran.

Then prominent figures such as Ambassador J. Kenneth Blackwell, Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Struan Stevenson, and Robert Torricelli, each clarified parts of the situation in Iran.

They wrote about the regime’s repression, discuss the issue of unity among opposition forces, and political alternatives to the current regime, and expose the regime’s tactics of coercion, terrorism, disinformation, and political manipulation.

And finally, they discuss the international community’s role and duty toward the ongoing protests in Iran and the right policies facing this cruel and inhuman regime.

Iran Democratic Revolution – Correct EU Policy. A news conference at the Brussels Press Club:

Opening the press conference Mr. Paulo Casaca, a Former Member of the EU Parliament spoke about the regime’s cruelty and the recent executions and said: “These executions are blatant. There were no free trials. There was brutal torture and forced confessions.”

He criticized the weak reaction of the EU countries and the US government and added: “In reaction to these executions, the EU and the US issued condemnations. Are these condemnations sufficient? Should not the EU entirely blacklist the IRGC as a terrorist organization?

“Shouldn’t we immediately expel the regime’s ambassadors and secret service agents affiliated with the regime’s terrorist activities? Shouldn’t we impose more severe sanctions on the regime?”

Then Ms. Ingrid Betancourt, a Former Colombian Senator and 2022, Presidential candidate, spoke about the important role of Iranian women and their courage in the fight against the regime.

Betancourt elaborates: “This is a revolution. This is not an ongoing protest of the Iranian people about how to dress. This is the first revolution in the world conducted by women. Many years ago, a woman said that women’s rights are human rights. This is obvious, but we seem to forget that women are human beings, especially in Iran.

“In the world, we had never seen such a misogynistic regime such as the one ruling Iran. We have seen glimpses of it, but in this systematic form of abusing power against women, we haven’t seen it.”

Then she criticized the weak reaction of the Western countries and added: “It should be something that we care about here in the West. I’m offended by the lack of action by our governments toward what is happening in Iran. They just summoned the ambassadors and expressed their outrage. We want more.

“They should start by calling back our ambassadors from Iran. And then we must shut down the regime’s embassies in our countries. We want our government to give an official backup to Maryam Rajavi. There are many people, but only one organization that can take over, and it is the NCRI.”

The next speaker Mr. Alejo Vidal0-Quadras, Former Vice-President of the European Parliament spoke about a true alternative and its characteristics and certain features and said:

“If we want to replace this regime with a democracy, we need to have an alternative that is credible and substantial. It must be an Iranian alternative. This alternative must have a solid organization and structure. It must have a network of members and supporters inside and outside Iran.

“An alternative must have wide support inside the country and internationally. This popular support must be general. The alternative must have a face, a clear leadership that we must all recognize and accept. The alternative must have a plan of action. The leadership must have proof that it has the capacity, strength, and charisma.

“The alternative must be pluralistic. It must include all political tendencies, religious beliefs, and the entire society. The alternative should ensure that the dictatorship will be replaced with a democracy. No Shah, no theocracy.”

Finally, he conclude that the only real solution to the situation in Iran is the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran and the National Resistance Council of Iran (NCRI) and added: “My conclusion after many years of cooperation with the NCRI and MEK is that, with all respect to all organizations and movements, if there is one organization that has the characteristics of an alternative able to lead the transition from dictatorship to democracy it is the NCRI led by Maryam Rajavi.”

The final speaker Mr. Struan Stevenson, a Former Member of the European Parliament spoke about the regime’s terrorism, malign and destructive activities, and its demonization policies, especially against the MEK, and said:

“The regime has tried its utmost to annihilate the MEK. Having failed in their ability to annihilate the MEK, they began a campaign of vilification and demonization.

“The regime identified journalists in the West as soft targets and used them to spread their ludicrous propaganda against the MEK and NCRI.

“Now this campaign moves into top gear with the regime calling the MEK an Islamist Marxist group. I’m a conservative, Paolo’s a socialist. We have supporters from all views across the world supporting the MEK.

“Over the past 40 years, the MEK has been the first and only serious opposition to the regime. The mullahs have trotted out a cyber-attack.

“There should be no impunity for those responsible for these atrocities. They must be held to account for these crimes. We call on the US, EU, and all democratic countries to take practical steps to stop these executions in Iran.

“If we remain silent, it will lead to more executions. Words are not enough. We need hard actions. We must withdraw our ambassadors from Tehran, close our embassies, shut down the regime’s embassies and expel their agents. That’s when we can start helping establish democracy in Iran.”

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