Free Iran Global Summit: Solidarity with the Iranian People’s Uprising, Support for Resistance Units, and the Liberation Army

• The Iranian Resistance’s annual gathering connects voices of freedom from 30,000-locations in Iran, Ashraf-3 and over 100 countries
• 1,000 political leaders, parliamentarians, and religious and cultural figures from around the world attended the event
• Maryam Rajavi: The ruling theocracy is close to being overthrown, and the people and the Iranian Resistance are committed to building a democratic and free Iran. We do not seek power at any cost; we seek freedom and justice and a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic
• Speeches and messages from 8 American senators and 10 members of the US House of Representatives
• Speeches by former Prime Ministers of Canada, Algeria and Albania and former Foreign Ministers of France, Italy, Canada, Poland, Yemen, Jordan, and Algeria

This afternoon, the annual gathering of the Iranian Resistance was held and attended by advocates of a free Iran, supporters of the Iranian Resistance, and Iranians who seek the overthrow of the ruling religious fascism in Iran. The online gathering connected Iranians at 30,000 locations in Iran, in Ashraf-3 in Albania as well as in more than 100 countries on 5 continents. In addition, in compliance with restrictions imposed due to coronavirus pandemic, a large demonstration in Berlin was held and rallies and demonstrations by Iranians in various cities around the world also joined the gathering.

About 1,000 dignitaries, including political leaders, parliamentarians, cultural and religious figures participated in the gathering, supporting the Iranian people’s call for the overthrow of a religious dictatorship and Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan for a future Iran.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), began her speech at the rally by saluting the rebellious people of Behbahan as well as the millions of compatriots who rose up in a tweet-storm to show their outrage against the inhumane death sentences of young protesters arrested during the November uprising. Last night, the people of Behbahan staged protests, chanted against the regime, and confronted the onslaught of the repressive forces.

In her remarks, Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that from all indications, the ruling theocracy is in a position to be overthrown. The people and the Iranian Resistance are committed to building a democratic and free Iran. She said: We do not seek power at any cost, we seek freedom and justice and a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic. Our people must enjoy the right to be healthy, to have shelter, employment, to organize and form syndicates, to have autonomy of ethnic minorities, the right to equal participation in running the society’s affairs, gender equality and popular sovereignty, and an Iran where there will be no capital punishment.

Reminding that so far, the coronavirus has taken the lives of at least 72,000 people in Iran, Mrs. Rajavi said: The abnormal surging trend of the number of coronavirus victims in Iran is a product of the criminal policies of (the mullahs’ supreme leader, Ali) Khamenei and (his president, Hassan) Rouhani. The strategy of launching mass casualties as a barrier against the threat of an uprising and eventual overthrow is exactly designed to pacify and dishearten the Iranian society, rendering it hopeless and paralyzed. They sent people back to work without offering them any help in prevention and treatment. At the same time, they blame the people for the spread of the virus, claiming that they did not observe the hygienic protocols. The mullahs have destroyed the health foundations of the country. The regime’s Health Minister says that since the beginning of the outbreak (in February), for the first time only 300 million Euros was provided to the ministry in June. That is only 3.5 Euros per person to confront the pandemic. The meager sum cannot be compared with any other country. But even this limited budget is squandered in the regime’s labyrinths of pervasive corruption, while the 15 institutions and foundations under Khamenei’s control have a total of one trillion dollars in assets.

Referring to the start of the trial of the clerical regime’s diplomat and his three accomplices in Belgium for the terrorist plot to bomb the Iranian gathering at Villepinte in June 2018, she said: For the first time, a trial has been held for a serving diplomat-terrorist. However, the real masterminds, namely Khamenei, Rouhani, Zarif, and Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, must be also prosecuted. This is indispensable to stop the mullahs’ unbridled terrorism the mullahs. She urged all governments and international communities to side with the people of Iran, in confronting the biggest threat to global peace and security.

Speakers at the summit, included, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Mr. Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mr. Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Sid Ghazali, former Prime Minister of Algeria, Mr. Pandeli Majko and Sali Berisha, former Prime Ministers of Albania, Mrs. Michèle Alliot-Marie, Mr. Giulio Terzi, Mr. John Baird, Mrs. Anna Fotyga, Former Foreign Ministers of France, Italy, Canada, and Poland, respectively, Mr. Riad Yassin and Mr. Khaled al-Yamani, former Foreign Ministers of Yemen, and Mr. Jawad Anani, former Foreign Minister of Jordan.

Eighteen U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. McSally, Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. John Cornyn, Sen. Todd Young, Sen. Mike Braun, Sen Marco Rubio, Sen. Bob Menendez, Sen. John Boozman, and members of the House of Representatives Paul Gosar, Lance Gooden, Tim Burchett, David Trone, Tom Emmer, Don Bacon, Ralph Norman, Mario Díaz-Balart, addressed the Summit or delivered messages.

The following distinguished personalities also addressed the global summit: Governor Tom Ridge former United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Mukasey, former Attorney General of the United States, Louis J. Freeh, former Director of the FBI, former Senators, Former Senators Kelly Ayotte & Robert Torricelli, Theresa Payton, Director of Communications and Information Technology at the White House During George W. Bush Presidency, Gilbert Mitterrand, President of the France Liberty Foundation; Rama Yade, former France Human Rights Minister, Mr. David Jones, former U.K. Secretary of Brexit; Theresa Villiers, former U.K. Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Baroness Verma, former UK minister and a member of the House of Lords, Mr. John Perry, former Irish minister, Mr. Lulzim Basha, leader of the Democratic Party in Albania, Mr. Fatmir Mediu, Leader of the Republican Party and former Defense Minister in Albania, Mr. Ahmed Al-Jarallah editor-in-chief of the Kuwaiti newspapers Al-Seyassah, Mrs. Hoda Nasser from Egypt, Mr. Bassam Al Omoush former Jordanian Minister and Ambassador to Iran, Kimmo Sasi, former Finnish Minister for Transport and Communications, and Ambassadors, Robert Joseph, Lincoln Bloomfield, Kenneth Blackwell, and dignitaries such as Ingrid Betancourt former Colombian Presidential candidates, Linda Chavez, Patrik Kennedy, and Misters, Mathew Offord, David Ames, and Bishop John Prichard, from the UK House of Commons, and Luís Leite Ramos, Vice-President of the PPE at the European Parliament, Misters Martin Patzelt and Thomas Nord from the German Parliament, Philippe Goslen from the French Parliament, Senators Lucio Malan, ‌ Renata Polurini and Roberto Rampi from the Senate and the Italian Parliament, Mr. James Bezan and Mrs. Judy Sgro from the Canadian Parliament, Mr. Michał Kamiński, Vice- Chairman of the Polish Senate, Mr. Jean Francois Legaret, former Mayer of Paris 1, Gen. James Conway, Commander of the US Marine Corps, General George Casey, former Chief of Staff of the US Army, Jack Kane, former Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Ad Melkert former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Iraq, Tahar Boumedra, former UNAMI human rights representative in Iraq.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

July 17, 2020