Iranian opposition movement provides the needed solution
As protests continue to spread across Iran, there is no longer the hoax of any part of this country’s social fabric supporting the clerical regime. In fact, the ruling theocracy is up against the most serious domestic threat since the early days of 1979 the revolution, as explained by Ken Blackwell, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council, in a recent piece published in the Townhall.
The movement providing force and necessary guidance, as indicated by senior Iranian regime officials, has been the Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) led by Maryam Rajavi. This is a coalition with the core group being the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and Rajavi issued a call-to-action to Iran’s protesters back in March. As a result, we are witnessing the public rise in response.
“Rajavi has articulated a ten-point plan describing the framework of this system, complete with free and fair elections, secular governance, safeguards on the rights of women and minorities, and a commitment to peaceful relations with Iran’s neighbors,” Blackwell explains.
Since January numerous cities throughout Iran are witnessing anti-regime protests of significant scope, including the scenes witnessed in Kazerun, southern Iran, and tens of thousands of truck drivers going on strike in hundreds of cities across all of Iran’s 31 provinces. Of course, authorities are also going the distance to crackdown these movements.
Iran’s protest movements have shown their resolve to continue their efforts, especially amongst PMOI/MEK members and supporters. Back in the summer of 1988 over 30,000 political prisoners were executed by the Iranian regime, of which an overwhelming majority were associated with the PMOI/MEK. All the while this movement continues to gain strength and grow in size. Add to this the PMOI/MEK’s network inside the regime’s ranks and files that has provided this movement invaluable intelligence to blow the whistle on this regime’s clandestine nuclear weapons drive, ballistic missile program, support for terrorism across the Middle East and domestic crackdown.
Speaking of roots, the NCRI is able to show its social base, especially through a convention held each year by the Iranian Diaspora in Paris, putting on a display of this movement’s support among the Iranian people, and politicians and lawmakers from across the globe.
“With that plan as a framework, the NCRI has established a leadership structure that is ready to step in to replace the clerical regime and unify the population behind the most longstanding advocates for its collective dream of democracy and civic freedom. Such unity is the most important component to a peaceful transition of power, and the NCRI brings unity not only to the domestic population but also to all international policymakers who believe in Iran’s democratic future.
“It should be difficult for anyone to witness that unity at the June 30 rally without concluding that US policy toward Iran is on the right course. This escalating assertiveness ought to be understood as adding the Iranian people’s hope for a domestically-driven change of government. And the rest of the Western world should adopt a similar posture for that same reason,” Blackwell concludes.
Visit this page for more information about the Iranian opposition convention
Originally published in the english.mojahedin
