Every year, the Iranian Resistance holds a rally in support of the people of Iran and the opposition. Last year, it was held in Albania, more specifically in Ashraf 3 which is now the home to the main opposition to the Iranian regime – the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK).
The Free Iran gathering welcomes tens of thousands of Iranians from around the world, as well as hundreds of distinguished guests, including politicians, dignitaries, members of Parliament, and former officials.
One such distinguished speaker is the former mayor of New York City and the U.S. President’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Mayor Giuliani spoke at the rally in Albania on Saturday 13th July.
He said that he was pleased to be able to come to Albania and to visit Ashraf and the people that helped make it what it is. He said that the Ashrafis are the ones that will be remembered like freedom fighters in years to come. He said: “You’ll be the ones who lead your people to freedom and you’ll be honored forever in Iranian history and in the history of those who love and are willing to die for freedom.”
Speaking about how the PMOI / MEK has evolved over the years, Mayor Giuliani said that it has grown in size and support. He also said that he felt more optimistic about the future of Iran than he had in previous Free Iran rallies, perhaps due to the “miracle” the opposition has made in building Ashraf itself.
Mayor Giuliani paid tribute to Mrs. Maryam Rajavi – the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) – who has worked tirelessly to move the movement in the right direction. He said that it was because of her, and her husband Massoud Rajavi, and their bravery, that Iran will one day be free.
The former mayor went on to speak about Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani and the regime as a whole, saying that they are murderers who are responsible for some of the most horrific crimes against humanity, including the mass murder of political prisoners. Mayor Giuliani said that the countries that stand for decency, democracy, and freedom should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves for not standing up against the regime.
The regime, he said, should be held accountable. “There’s no statute of limitation on murder”, he reminded those listening. For this reason, governments around the world should be calling the regime out and making sure it is held accountable.
Mayor Giuliani described the regime as the “largest sponsor of terrorism in the world” and said that no country should be doing business with them because it is simply just “giving blood money to Iran”. This, he said, makes countries “complicit in murder”.
Finally, Mayor Giuliani called on all individuals to be “witness” to what is happening in Iran. He said that as one person, we may not think we can make an impact, but this is not true. People need to speak about what is happening. It needs to be questioned.
