Mimi Kodheli, Minister of Defense of Albania (2013–2017), addressed at the 2nd Day of The Free Iran World Summit on July 12, 2021.

Hello everybody. Dear Maryam, dear ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, allow me to start by congratulating the organizers of this important and special event, to express support for the Iranian people’s desire for a democratic, secular, prosperous, and non-nuclear Republic of Iran, and to condemn violations of human rights and state-sponsored terrorism.

From the beginning, I would like to align with the bipartisan resolution 118, sponsored by the majority members of the US Congress, announced on April 27 of this year. On the other side, Albania fully aligns with the EU NATO Council of Europe and IAEA positions on the issues of democracy, human rights, international and nuclear security related to Iran.

Well, Albania firmly believes and remains committed to the safeguard and promotion of the democratic principles and values. It has always been standing by them who seek and fight for tolerance, democracy and human rights, which for us, represents the foundation of peace, but also the foundation of our unconditional support in the fight against terrorism, and all forms of fundamentalism.

As you know, from 2013, Albania has been hosting a number of Iranian dissidents. At that time, I used to be minister of defense of my country, talking about their presence in our country of being a prime minister, Rama clarified to reporters in Vienna, where he has to speak before the OSC permanent Council, in his capacity as head of the organization, that this is a topic and an issue and that it’s not new to us in relations to Iran.

We have taken an action that hundreds Albanian in line with the Albanian tradition, in the walk of a non-negotiable strategic alliance with the United States to welcome or open the doors to a group of people whose life is at risk, or used to be at risk at that time. And it is written in the agreements that we have made in Albania as a result of humanitarian, not political operation.

We’re very proud to have helped these people like we helped the Jews during World War II with no interest in a heightened agenda, but offering shelter when many others turned their backs on them. This is how we see it always. On the other hand, the Albanian government and all the Albanian political spectrum has expressed dismay, over the Iranian hostage and malicious stance and activities towards and within the territory of Albania. For two decades, Albania remains firm in its commitment alongside NATO, US, and other partner countries in the fight against international terrorism and any acts of that endangers world stability and peace.

In several cases, the Albanian authorities have identified dangerous activities organized by members linked with an Iranian terrorist groups. So, in December 2019, Iran’s ambassador to Albania and one of the embassy diplomats were expelled from our country. Foreign Ministry reports at the time that the two Iranian diplomats were declared unwanted after being suspected of being involved in activities that threaten the security of our country. So, the decision to declare random diplomats undesirable from the Ministry and Foreign Affairs. We further clarified like a decision that has been taken in consultation with the allied countries because their activity in Albania was violating their diplomatic status and not only.

Ladies and gentlemen, in January 2020, the government of Albania expelled these two other Iranian diplomats also planning terrorist attacks against MEK. Well, what more to say? I think that we in Albania have always been a shining example of tolerance, and religious coexistence, where people respect each other as equals, regardless of faith and cultural background.

We do have more than three main religions in our country, and we know how to live all together and to survive as Albanian, we know how to do so. We strongly believe that strengthening and promoting these values is a concrete effort to protect our society and to preserve our social cohesion. But also to clarify, the difference between radicalism and extremism, which has nothing to do with religion.

So, to counterterrorist and extremist ideas, their philosophy, their political project, and defeat them, we must fight the roots of extremism: the poverty, the social injustice, and they impose ignorance and intolerance, and of course, the exclusion and the discrimination that’s happening in Iran.

I think that furthermore, Albania’s election, for the first time as temporary member of the United Nations, Security Council commits us to defend human rights and the international rights as a country whose history has taught more than once that human rights and international rights are the inevitable pillars of the platform, that builds better societies and human rights protection without any discrimination, definitely also promotes stronger cooperation among nations. So, let’s give peace another chance. Thank you for your time.