On March 9th, General James L. Jones, the former US National Security Advisor during President Obama’s tenure, spoke at a bipartisan summit in Washington, D.C. He delivered a compelling speech addressing the complex challenges presented by Iran’s regime.
In his speech, General Jones wasted no time in confronting the grim reality of Iran’s role in global terrorism. He declared, “The Iranian regime still persists as a central hub of terrorism in our world. This is not a mere assertion. It’s an indisputable truth woven into the fabric of the regime’s actions, which sows chaos, instability, and anguish throughout the Middle East and too much of the world. Seated in Tehran, this regime embodies the head of the snake, as has been mentioned before, of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism around the world.”
However, Jones was quick to point out the inherent vulnerability of the regime, despite its outward projection of strength through support for terror proxies. He said, “While the ruling mullahs may project an illusion of strength through terrorism and violence, nothing can hide their profound vulnerability at home. Their fervent support for terror proxies across the region is not a testament to their strength, but an act of desperation. An attempt to cling to power in the face of mounting opposition, coming up from the streets of Iran in increasing numbers every year. The March 1st parliamentary elections, boycotted by the Iranian people, really served as a resounding resignation and repudiation of the regime’s legitimacy.”
“The overwhelming majority of Iran’s population opted for abstention, a poignant sign of their yearnings for democratic regime and change,” General Jones added. “And despite all the fraud, according to the regime’s statistics, less than 7% of the voters in the capital participated. This was effectively a referendum and a vote by the Iranian people in favor of ending the rule of the clerics in Tehran.”
The 14th Supreme Allied Commander Europe commended the organized opposition led by the People’s Mojahedin Organization (PMOI/MEK) network inside Iran as well as the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) for their steadfast determination in the face of adversity.
“While the regime is getting weaker, the organized opposition led by Resistance Units and NCRI and others, which are teams of democracy activists operating across the country, is gaining strength and appeal among the population, the General added. “This is Tehran’s nightmare, and it’s a nightmare that is growing rapidly, and it’s a nightmare that will come true, and it will come true sooner than you think.”
The 32nd Commandant of the US Marine Corps added, “Indeed, since 2017, the Iranian people have risen in successive nationwide protests, courageously demanding the overthrow of the clerical regime. The resounding chance of down with the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader, resonated with a fervent desire for freedom and stability. And the Iranian people have risen to the occasion, and they with a fervent desire for freedom and self-determination. The Iranian people bolstered by organized resistance possess the power to dismantle the regime’s stronghold in Tehran and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for the region.”
“The Iranian people and the Resistance Units have the right to resist the oppressive regime and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and it is the moral obligation of the international community to stand in support of this effort,” General Jones declared. “An unequivocal stance by the United States government not only reassures the Iranian people who love America, by the way, it would also reassure friends and allies throughout the Arab world and this is a task that is not yet complete, but it can be done, but it has to be done from this capital. With unwavering solidarity and support of the quest for freedom and democracy, let us unequivocally recognize the right to resist and to stand up to tyranny.”
General Jones condemned the regime’s planned sham trials targeting the leadership of the Iranian Resistance, including key PMOI members, as a desperate attempt to quash opposition. He warned “The MEK members, especially the women, paid the ultimate price in order to create a spread and spread the culture of resistance in Iran, and it is this culture that cannot be destroyed. On the contrary, the more the regime kills, the deeper this culture gets. So, failing to crush the movement for change, Tehran has resorted to a new ploy. In the summer of 2023, the Iranian regime announced that it plans to prosecute the leadership of the Iranian Resistance, including key MEK members, on baseless charges.
“A key objective of this sham trial is to demonize the opposition, setting the stage for further executions within Iran and orchestrating terrorist attacks against opposition members abroad. It also underscores the fear the moment continues to incite within the regime’s ranks and the increasing appeal of this movement among younger generations, and that is encouraging. So, the regime’s other goal is to create false judicial precedents for MEK leaders and issue red notices with the Interpol to extradite Iranian Resistance leaders back to Iran. The international community must reject that movement.”
The former National Security Advisor went further to draw the conclusion, “The Iranian regime coerces Albania into denying the rights of thousands of the members of the Iranian resistance now residing at Ashraf 3 near Tirana underscore the relentless quest to stifle dissent even beyond its borders. It shows graphically how fearful the regime is of the MEK as an alternative.”
Despite the regime’s attempts to suppress dissent, Jones remained optimistic about the prospects for change in Iran.
Jones concluded, “The NCRI and its president-elect Maryam Rajavi have championed a Ten-Point Plan for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic in Iran. It’s a Jeffersonian document that delineates a vision free from the shackles of extremism, terrorism, and tyranny where power is vested in the hands of the Iranian people through free and fair elections.
“How can any American leader on either side of the aisle disagree with that? How can anyone disagree with that? It is incredible that we still struggle to educate our own national leaders about what exactly Mrs. Rajavi’s goal is all about. We must do better than that, and I pledge that General Clark and I and Ambassador Joseph and Secretary Pompeo and all of the ones that are privileged to appear before you once in a while, we will work on that and we will change those opinions. So, we will change those opinions in the halls of the Congress of the United States, in the executive branch of our government, and most importantly in our media. That is something we can do and that will propel and dispel all of the misconceptions that exist and have not been put to bed yet, but they will be.”
