Thousands rallied in Paris on February 8, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Iranian people’s uprising against the Shah’s dictatorship. The rally started in Denfert Rochereau Square in Paris and ended at Les Invalides in front of the French National Assembly.
The protesters condemned the continuing human rights violations in Iran, the regime’s increasing terrorist plots, and continuing missile and nuclear programs. They supported the social movements in Iran and the Iranian people’s uprising and protests against the mullahs’ dictatorship.
People hold pictures of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of Iranian Resistance parliament in exile, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and expressed their desire for a free Iran seeking democratic regime change by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance, the PMOI/MEK and NCRI as the only democratic alternative to the ruling regime.
A large number of Iranian communities in Europe including thousands of youths, human rights organizations, trade unions, and parliamentary committees as well as mayors from Paris’s districts and the Île-de-France region participated in the rally and provided their support.
Personalities who addressed the event include Gilbert Mitterrand, President of France Libertés – Foundation Danielle-Mitterrand; Michèle de Vaucouleurs, member of France’s National Assembly and President of the French Parliamentary Committee for a Democratic Iran; Sid Ahmed Ghozali, former Prime Minister of Algeria; Alejo Vidal Quadras, former Vice President of the European Parliament and President of the International Committee In Search of Justice; George Sabra, prominent representative of the Syrian opposition; Jean-François Legaret, Mayor of Paris’ 1st District; Gérard Lauton, representative of France’s National Union of Higher Education; Jean-Pierre Michel, former Senator and founder of the French Committee for a Democratic Iran; François Colcombet, President of the Foundation for Middle Eastern Studies (FEMO); and Pierre Bercis, President of Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme.
In her message to the demonstration which was shown on the widescreen, Mrs. Rajavi said that with the overthrow of the Shah’s corrupt dictatorship and his regime of torture, his true successors, namely Khomeini and Khamenei, took over the helms. Now is the turn of the mullahs to be overthrown.
“Our nation has started a new era, a new phase, in their battle to bring down the mullahs’ theocratic rule. Therefore, they expect the international community to respect their struggle and recognize their high goal of liberating Iran and the entire world from the evil and mischief of the mullahs’ religious fascism. Mrs. Rajavi said.
“Western governments bear double responsibility in this regard because their appeasement policy played a role in preserving this regime, particularly in the past two decades, while blocking the road to change in Iran by blacklisting and constraining the Iranian Resistance, giving the regime many opportunities to survive through suppression and threaten the whole world by their terrorist activities and nuclear ambitions,” she added.
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the end to the region’s crises lies in recognition of the Iranian people’s right to resistance to topple the mullahs’ religious fascism and attain freedom. This is the heart of the solution to the Iranian problem and the road to peace and tranquility in the region and the world.
She stressed the need to include the regime’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) and the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on the U.S. and EU blacklists, and asked, why do you want to prolong the suffering of the people of Iran and other nations in the region?
“Prevent the regime’s access to missile programs and any form of arms and equipment. The Iranian people and their Resistance do not want this regime to have any bullets, or sell any barrel of oil, or spend a single dollar of the Iranian nation’s wealth on suppression and terrorism,” she concluded.