General James Jones, Former US National Security Adviser, and the 14th Supreme Allied Commander Europe addressed the first day of the Free Iran World Summit on July 1, 2023.
General Jones: Iran’s Regime Recognizes NCRI Is a Threat to Their Tyrannical Rule
The full text of General James Jones’s remarks, is as follows:
Thank you very much for your kind introduction.
President Rajavi, very very nice and honored to be with you and the friends here united in a common cause. It’s a great pleasure to be with you.
This summit could not have come at a more urgent and critical time in history, and I’m honored to be here with you. This is a moment in time where democracies are faced with challenges from autocratic regimes who, wrongly in my view, I think in our collective view, think that their ideology which is based on domination and oppression is somehow destined to prevail nonetheless.
Ladies and gentlemen, we will win this contest and relegate despotic regimes to the dustbin of history.
So, we meet today standing united in the face of a formidable challenge to our freedom under the specter of religious tyranny looming over a great nation, jeopardizing regional stability, and jeopardizing global peace and shared prosperity. This is a moment that demands our attention, our resolve, our courage, and an unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy.
The regime with its repressive grip stifles the fundamental human rights of the Iranian people. Its belligerent posturing and nuclear ambitions pose a grave threat, undermining the concerted effort of the international community to foster enduring peace. We cannot and will not idly stand by as the voices of the oppressed and silenced and the hopes of millions are dashed.
In the recent wave of protests that erupted all over Iran last September, we witnessed the crescendo of a symphony of resistance that has played out over four decades. It echoed the unwavering determination of millions of Iranians for change.
But let’s be clear, the regime’s brutal crackdown failed and continues to fail to extinguish the flames of resistance. The courageous NCRI-affiliated Resistance Units within Iran continue to keep the fires for a better and freer nation burning brightly by risking their lives and safety against overwhelming odds.
These protests serve as a vivid testament to the aspirations of the Iranian people yearning for a society founded on democratic principles and inclusive governance. It is not merely a revolt against the current oppressive regime ruling Iran, it’s a resolute struggle against all forms of dictatorship. Their unified chant on the street echoes with determination, “No to the oppressor, no to any form of government that denies freedom to its people.”
The transformation of Iran into a democratic beacon in the Middle East will not only serve as a bulwark of regional stability but also sends ripples of hope across the globe to all people who suffer under the yoke of tyranny.
As we gather here today, let us recognize that the regime in Iran does in fact grow weaker by the day. Internally it clings desperately to power through crackdown and fear, and externally by demonizing democratic opposition, blackmailing governments, and exporting terrorism, all the while keeping false hopes of a nuclear weapons-free Iran.
We also acknowledge the perilous policy of engagement with the regime, which undermines both the cause of democracy in Iran and the cherished values that underpin our own societies. By turning a blind eye to the regime’s heinous human rights abuses and aggressive behavior, we inadvertently legitimize its oppressive rule and escalate threats to global peace and security. And so it is time to recalibrate this approach, prioritizing support for the Iranian people’s unwavering quest for freedom and democracy. Now is not the time to make more concessions to a regime that has proven to be unworthy of any form of trust. It is time for clear decisiveness.
By taking hostages and unleashing terrorism, the current criminal rulers of Iran try to blackmail us. We must not cave in, and retreat is out of the question. It is time to extend our full support to the MEK members in Ashraf and protect their fundamental rights against any onslaught by the regime.
We must recognize that underneath the regime’s enthusiastic embrace of what they see as appeasement is an unmistakable fear. They fear the growing impact and influence of the opposition forces inside Iran. They recognize that the National Council of Resistance of Iran is a threat to their tyrannical rule, a formidable threat to their tyrannical rule. This recognition in itself is a resounding confirmation of the potency and efficacy of the NCRI under the visionary leadership of Madam Rajavi.
Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan which mirrors the democratic values cherished by the international community, which Americans recognize as being truly Jeffersonian, stands as the beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards a democratic Iran where freedom, justice, and human rights will prevail. The Global support for the NCRI’s goals and ambition resounds across nations, capturing the attention of senior leaders and legislators from numerous countries, as we’ve heard earlier today.
The powerful solidarity displayed by 117 former world leaders from 45 nations in a joint letter to their respective heads of state speaks volumes about the global recognition of the significance of democratic values espoused by the Iranian Resistance.
But the momentum does not stop at that point. Over 3,600 legislators from 61 countries, including an absolute bipartisan majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, whose members we heard from earlier, have also voiced their support for the NCRI and its transformative vision for a democratic Iran which symbolizes a collective belief in the Iranian people’s struggle for democratic regime change.
So, the time has come to bid farewell to the failed policy of thinking that the regime can ever be trusted to join the family of free nations. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Iranian people and their unwavering Resistance movement. That is what is most important. That is where we should be in our beliefs. The people of Iran deserve no less.
Ladies and gentlemen, what ultimately happens in Iran will have reverberations around the world. This is where we are in our global history. So, ladies and gentlemen, let us resolve to continue the march toward freedom for the Iranian people with courage and steadfast determination.
I am proud to be here and to stand with you. I will be here as long as it takes to see a democratic and free Iran.
Thank you.
