Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s Meetings with Prominent Figures Highlight the Urgent Need for International Support in Confronting the Iranian Regime
Paris, June 3, 2023 – Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), recently held meetings with notable figures, including Ms. Ingrid Betancourt, Mr. Jean-François Legaret, and Mr. Gilbert Mitterrand, at the NCRI headquarters in Paris.
The discussions centered around the Iranian regime’s state-sponsored terrorism, escalating repression, and the urgent need for international support to counter these grave challenges.
During her meeting with Ms. Ingrid Betancourt, a private plaintiff in the case of Assadollah Assadi, a terrorist diplomat from the Iranian regime, Rajavi expressed her concern over the Belgian government’s capitulation to the policy of hostage-taking. Betancourt, having experienced firsthand the horrors of being a hostage herself, emphasized that concessions to hostage-takers only embolden them to continue their malevolent practices. She underscored the importance of standing firm and resolute against such acts, rather than yielding to their demands.
Rajavi firmly condemned the release of Assadi, who was responsible for orchestrating the largest criminal act in Europe after World War II. She described it as a disgraceful ransom, in flagrant violation of the court’s ruling. Rajavi highlighted the Iranian regime’s strategy of terrorism, hostage-taking, and blackmail in its foreign policy, calling for resolute action to counter these grave threats.
In a separate meeting, Rajavi met with Mr. Jean-François Legaret, the president of the Middle East Studies Foundation and former mayor of the 1st arrondissement of Paris, and Mr. Gilbert Mitterrand, the president of the French Liberty Foundation (France Liberté). The focus of their discussions revolved around the recent wave of executions in Iran and the regime’s policy of hostage-taking.
Expressing her concerns, Rajavi emphasized that the escalating repression and terrorism exhibited by the mullahs not only showcased their inhumane nature, but also reflected their desperation in the face of the Iranian people’s Resistance and uprising. She commended the courage displayed by the youth and Resistance Units in Iran, who continue to defy the regime’s oppressive tactics.
Mr. Legaret, in his remarks during the meeting, praised the unwavering determination of the Iranian people and the Resistance Units, despite the regime’s policy of repression and executions. He denounced the false alternatives presented by the regime as nothing more than a feeble attempt to suppress the growing support for the Iranian Resistance and the democratic alternative it represents. He further emphasized that these deceptive tactics lacked credibility among the Iranian public.
Adding to the discussions, Mr. Gilbert Mitterrand lamented the barbarism endured by the Iranian people under both the Shah’s regime and the current theocratic rule. He highlighted the pressing need for the people of Iran to achieve the democracy that they rightfully deserve, as outlined in Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
The series of meetings underscored the critical importance of international support in confronting the Iranian regime’s terrorism, repression, and hostage-taking practices. Rajavi, alongside renowned figures such as Betancourt, Legaret, and Mitterrand, emphasized the urgent need for the international community to unite against the Iranian regime’s violations of human rights and its destabilizing activities.
As the Iranian people continue to demand freedom, democracy, and an end to the regime’s reign of terror, it becomes increasingly essential for the international community to stand in solidarity with them. The meetings with these influential figures serve as a reminder that a unified effort is necessary to counter the Iranian regime’s atrocities and to support the Iranian people in their quest for a brighter and democratic future.
