On Saturday 13 july 2019, a large crowd gathered in Ashraf 3, Albania, home to Iranian opposition group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), to hold the annual Free Iran rally of the Iranian resistance. The event was the fourth installment in a series of events held at Ashraf 3.  Baroness Sandip Verma – Member of British House of Lords, Former Energy & Climate Change Minister and Former International Development Minister gave a speech in this gathering.

Baroness Sandip VERMA :To my friend, Maryam Rajavi, to the people of Ashraf 3, salaam. To our distinguished friends and colleagues here today, it is really fantastic to be here sharing this day with you. And for all the women, for all the women who are leading the Iranian opposition movement for change in Iran, thank you.

Baroness Sandip Verma added: There is no one stronger, there is no one braver, than a woman fighting for her children and their land, as our late, great Robin Corbett from the House of Lords said. My sister Maryam is amongst the bravest of the brave. The prominent role of women in the Iranian resistance reflects what is happening in Iran with women organizing and being at the forefront of the protests that have been going on in the country.

Brave women in Iran are challenging the regime at every possible way. Many, as you know, have been arrested and held in the most inhumane conditions, under torture in the regime’s prisons.

To uphold women’s rights, my friends, is to uphold human rights. When the Iranian regime has reduced women to second class citizens and considers women’s rights activists as enemies of the state, then it is really time for the world to stand up, speak out, and support the work that you, the NCRI, are doing.

My sister, a Muslim woman, a president-elect of the NCRI, a friend, Maryam Rajavi, makes the Iranian resistance movement a thorn in the sides of the mullahs and the unique example in the Middle East and the Muslim world.

For every achievement, for every international support, and for every successful conference there is a woman, women at the heart of this movement. [applause] We saw in the museum yesterday the women who have sacrificed their lives, their freedoms alongside their countrymen. It demonstrates the strength of men and women fighting the same cause.

Baroness Sandip Verma ended her speech saying: And my friend and colleague, Matthew, has just spoken about the 10-point plan. And that is why we support Maryam Rajavi, your movement, and the women in Iran. I hope that we will sooner rather than later celebrate her success, your success, our success in Iran. Thank you.