Baroness Betty Boothroyd, former Speaker of the UK House of Commons, addressed at the 2nd Day of The Free Iran World Summit on July 11, 2021.
Greetings Madame Rajavi, as I do to the people of Iran, to our friends in Ashraf 3, and to dignitaries gathered here for this event. It is a privilege to join you all to this year’s Free Iran Global Summit.
We gather, of course, at a critical and decisive time in Iran’s history. In a democracy, people like me, campaign enthusiastically and publicly in the streets, encouraging people to go out, use your votes, I say to them, “Make your own choice about the government of your country.
It is your birthright to do so. It’s not a luxury, it is an important civil rights and civil liberty.” And as the people of Iran have no such civil liberties, they were not given a choice. That they made their choice very clear indeed. When the time came, their choice was a resounding national boycott of the regime is a phony election. I say, well done, my friends in Iran, I salute you. As my friend Maryam said, “The people show to the Iranian dictators and to the world that they want real change, genuine change, and not a masquerade of statesman.”
We are reminded, especially today, of Madame Rajavi’s 10-point plan for the future of Iran, which encompasses the democratic aspirations of the people. And guarantee is the realization of their long-standing desire for civil liberty, and for the democratic process. It is no coincidence that women of all ages are in the vanguard of this popular resistance movement against the regime.
I admire the role women are taking and the courage they demonstrate in doing so. For world leaders and the international community, this summit, with thousands in attendance, reflects only a small portion of the strong support the NCRI and its President has among the Iranian people and worldwide.
My friends, the time has come to recognize this democratic alternative, unpopular movement, as it marches and certainly marches to victory for a free Iran.
I stand with you, men and women of Iran, and support you until the day when we can gather to rejoice for the final celebration in Tehran, the capital of a free and democratic nation. Thank you.
