Protests by pensioners in several cities in Iran
Economic protests by pensioners from Social Security, government, telecommunications, and steel sectors took place in several cities across the country on Sunday, July 7. The protests emphasized the “double oppression” of women by the government in Iran and called for the release of Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist sentenced to death.
According to reports from labor sources, pensioners from various organizations gathered on Sunday to protest against their living conditions, unmet labor demands, the arrest and pressure on labor activists, and the additional oppression of women in several cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shush, and Ahvaz.
In Tehran, protesting pensioners chanted: “Double oppression on women.”
Protesting pensioners in Tehran also chanted against the arrest and death sentence of labor activist Sharifeh Mohammadi: “Sharifeh Mohammadi must be freed.”
At the same time, protesting pensioners in Shush, Khuzestan province, chanted: “Let go of the headscarf, think about us” in protest against their living conditions and government pressure on women.
In this gathering, the protesting pensioners also emphasized: “We condemn the death sentence of Sharifeh Mohammadi.”
At the pensioners’ protest in Kermanshah, protesters demanded welfare services, including free healthcare, and wage determination based on inflation rates.
In Isfahan, retired steel industry workers highlighted financial corruption and large-scale embezzlement, chanting to the regime officials: “Reduce your thefts, solve our problems.”
Additionally, Khuzestan steel industry retirees gathered in front of the Steel Industries Pension Fund in Ahvaz.
The expansion of labor protests by various groups, including pensioners, workers from different industries, teachers, victims of financial fraud, and healthcare workers, indicates the increasing economic problems in Iran and the disregard of regime officials.
The continuation of economic protests on Sunday occurred just two days after the regime held elections to appoint a successor to Ebrahim Raisi. Most people consider the change of the head of state in the current government structure irrelevant to solving economic and livelihood issues.
Economist Hossein Raghfar recently stated regarding the campaign slogans of the Islamic Republic’s favored candidates that there are two governments in Iran’s ruling system; one has “weapons and power” and impacts people’s livelihoods, while the other has no “power” at all.
Liquidity in Iran Reaches 80 quadrillion Rials
New statistics from the Central Bank of Iran show that liquidity in the country reached a staggering 79 quadrillion rials (approximately $133.333 billion) by the end of the last Persian year (March 21, 2024).
The new statistics released by the Central Bank on Sunday, July 7, show that since the start of Ebrahim Raisi‘s government, the volume of liquidity has more than doubled; in other words, the liquidity generated during Raisi’s government exceeds the total liquidity in the history of Iran’s economy up to the establishment of the thirteenth government.
The Central Bank’s report highlighted the “decline in the growth rate of liquidity” and defended the Central Bank’s performance in controlling liquidity. However, details of the statistics from this financial institution show that liquidity in Iran in August 2021, when Hassan Rouhani’s government handed over executive power to Ebrahim Raisi’s government, was about 39 quadrillion rials (approximately $65 billion), but by the end of last year, this figure had more than doubled, and it is unclear how much liquidity has increased this spring.
Liquidity is the most important factor of inflation, and this index in Iran is due to the uncontrolled printing of unbacked money by the Central Bank to cover the government’s budget deficit.
The doubling of liquidity in the country during Ebrahim Raisi’s tenure comes while he had promised in his election campaign to control inflation by curbing government borrowing and liquidity. However, according to the latest Central Bank statistics, government borrowing from banks has also doubled under the thirteenth government.
The Central Bank has not released the volume of government debt to banks since February and March, but February 2024 statistics show that this figure has surged to over 13 quadrillion rials (approximately $21.6 billion), more than double the start of Ebrahim Raisi’s government.
Borrowing from banks and the Central Bank itself is only a small part of the total government borrowing; according to the CEO of Iran’s National Development Fund, the government’s debt to this institution has reached about $100 billion, which is equivalent to more than a quarter of Iran’s entire economy.
The issue of rampant liquidity growth in the country during Raisi’s tenure was also raised by Masoud Pezeshkian, the winner of the recent elections, during the election debates. Last week, the Central Bank released a detailed report claiming that the “pace of liquidity growth has slowed,” but did not admit that the volume of liquidity had effectively doubled over three years, with the liquidity produced during the thirteenth government alone equaling the total liquidity of the country up to August 2021.
According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, the volume of liquidity in Iran is expected to increase by 33 percent during the current Persian year.
Iran’s Regime Selects New President in Massively Boycotted
With the completion of the vote count for the majority of ballot boxes, Iran’s Ministry of Interior declared Massoud Pezeshkian as the winner of the 14th presidential election.
According to the Ministry of Interior, in the second round, Massoud Pezeshkian secured 16,384,157 votes, defeating Saeed Jalili to win the presidency for a four-year term.
According to figures released by the Iranian regime, voter turnout was about 40% in the first round and 50% in the second round. However, there are serious doubts about the accuracy of these statistics. Many accuse the government of manipulating the results and inflating the number of votes, claiming that the actual turnout was much lower than reported.
Simultaneously, on Friday, July 5, during the second round of the early presidential election, several civil and political activists, along with families of victims of the Iranian regime, insisted on the sham nature of the elections and called for a boycott. More than 100 political prisoners in Evin Prison refused to participate in the elections.
The Iranian regime had canceled prison leaves in some prisons due to the election.
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the main opposition group, reported that the turnout was 12% in the first round and 9% in the second round.
“Voluntary and compulsory votes in 58,640 fixed and mobile polling stations are about 5.5 million, equivalent to 9 percent of eligible voters.
The PMOI Social Headquarters inside Iran, on Friday, July 5, 2024, during the second round of the regime’s presidential election, undertook to monitor 2,000 fixed polling stations in a sampling recommended by experts,” PMOI emphasized.
After the ballot boxes were taken to Evin prison, over a hundred political prisoners refused to participate in this electoral circus.
Images and videos from dozens of cities in Iran indicate widespread non-participation by the public in the voting.
Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Iranian regime, finally acknowledged on July 3rd, after four days of silence, that public participation in the first round of voting among the regime’s preferred candidates to succeed Raisi was “less than expected.”
While the majority of Iranian citizens boycotted the government voting and likened it to a “circus” and a “show,” Ali Khamenei claimed on Wednesday, July 3rd: “The idea that those who did not vote in the first round are against the regime is completely wrong.”
This comes after he had emphasized the importance of participation in the voting before the recent vote to replace Raisi, saying that “high participation” would bring “pride to the Islamic Republic.”
Additionally, the regime’s Ministry of Interior sent text messages urging people to participate in the elections. The lack of public participation in these elections is unprecedented in the history of the Iranian regime.
During the nationwide protests in 2022, people chanted, “Reformist, hardliner, the game is over,” indicating that Iranians have moved beyond all factions of the ruling regime and that whoever wins in the electoral circus will not affect their fate.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), referred to the election boycott by the people in a message on her X account and said:
Congratulations to the Iranian people for their determination to overthrow the religious dictatorship. This marks another crushing sledgehammer of a boycott to the principle of the velayat-e faqih (absolute clerical rule) and Khamenei's farcical electoral masquerade.
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) July 5, 2024
The…
The Nationwide Boycott in the Second Stage of Iran’s Presidential Election
The second round of voting between the two candidates of the Iranian regime to succeed Ebrahim Raisi began on Friday, July 5, in Iran. Reports on social media regarding the election process in several cities in various provinces indicate that the polling stations are quiet and there has not been widespread participation so far.
Many figures and activists, along with political and civil organizations and a large number of political prisoners, have called for a boycott, labeling what the Iranian regime calls elections as a “circus” or “show,” similar to the first round of voting.
According to the regime’s official IRNA news agency, Mohsen Eslami, the spokesperson for the election headquarters of the Ministry of Interior of the Iranian regime, said, “We will try to announce the final result in the early hours of Saturday.”
Meanwhile, videos posted on social media from cities such as Tehran, Kahnuj, Fuman, Ilam, Ahvaz, Isfahan, Bojnord, and Shahrekord indicate that eligible voters have not gone to the polls.
The second stage of the election began under circumstances where, according to even government statistics, a vast majority of Iranians did not participate in the first round of voting, which opponents referred to as a “circus” and a “show.”
According to the claims of the Iranian regime, only 40% of eligible voters participated in the first round of the elections, a figure that nearly all political figures consider to be false.
The statistics and figures from the Iranian regime’s official sources have always been seriously doubted and disputed by observers and independent sources. Many observers and civil and political activists believe that the number of voters in the first round of the elections was lower than what the Iranian regime claimed.
However, Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Iranian regime, said on Friday, July 5, while voting: “I have heard that people’s enthusiasm and interest are greater than before. God willing, it is so.”
On Wednesday, July 3, he claimed regarding the 60% non-participation of eligible voters in the first round of the elections: “The idea that those who did not vote in the first round are against the system is a completely wrong perception.”
Before the first stage of the recent voting to succeed Ebrahim Raisi, Ali Khamenei had stated in another speech about the importance of public participation that “high participation” would bring “honor to the Iranian regime.”
In this context, despite the extensive campaigns by Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili, two candidates approved by the Guardian Council of the Iranian regime, many social media users, along with the families of justice-seeking figures and activists, as well as political and civil organizations, announced that they would not participate in this round of government voting.
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the largest opposition group in Iran, announced on June 28 during the first round of the presidential elections that more than 88% of eligible voters did not participate. The participants constituted 12% of those eligible to vote, numbering less than 7.4 million, marking the lowest participation rate in the history of the Iranian regime.
Opponents say there is “no difference” between the two candidates chosen by the Iranian regime to succeed Raisi, and participating in the government elections is considered a “vote for more killing and repression.”
The Iranian regime has even asked prisoners to vote. In Lahijan prison, prisoners on leave were informed that everyone must return to the prison to vote with their ID cards or national cards.
The prosecutor of Saravan County has threatened prisoners that if they do not participate in the second round of elections, their leave will be canceled.
Iranian Activist Sentenced to Death
Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist, was sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Rasht. On Thursday, July 4, Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison in Rasht, was sentenced to death in a criminal verdict by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of this city.
Sharifeh Mohammadi’s trial was held on June 8 in the First Branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Rasht.
Previously, human rights organizations had expressed concern over the charge of “Baghi” (a vaguely defined crime used against regime opponents) against Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison in Rasht.
This ridiculous charge is related to Ms. Mohammadi’s membership in the “Committee to Aid the Formation of Labor Unions” before 2010.
The charge of “Baghi” can lead to the death penalty or long-term imprisonment.
Such false accusations and fabricated cases are well-known methods used by the Intelligence Ministry to deal with independent labor and social activists. Ms. Sharifeh Mohammadi has been tortured by the Ministry of Intelligence.
Previously, reports of mistreatment of this labor activist after her transfer from Lakan Prison in Rasht to Sanandaj Prison had been published.
Meanwhile, the human rights organization “Hengaw” wrote that Sharifeh Mohammadi “has been sentenced to death for the charge of Baghi due to her membership in the Committee to Aid the Formation of Labor Unions and the association of this union with the Komala Party, based on Articles 211 and 287 of the Islamic Penal Code ratified in 2013.”
According to documents obtained by Hengaw, this verdict has been officially and personally communicated to Ms. Mohammadi’s lawyer, and the issued verdict can be appealed to the Supreme Court within 20 days of notification.
In recent days, the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers’ Syndicate and the Committee to Aid the Formation of Labor Unions have rejected the charge of Baghi and called for the release of Sharifeh Mohammadi.
The Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers’ Syndicate, stating that “we strongly condemn the fabrication of scenarios against the detained worker Sharifeh Mohammadi and the baseless charge of Baghi against her,” wrote: “There is no doubt about the absolute falsehood and shamefulness of this charge. They have shamelessly faced an independent and well-known labor and civil activist with a heavy accusation that they themselves know has not a shred of truth.”
This labor organization, in its statement referring to “the harassment and false scenarios that have repeatedly been used against members of the syndicate under various titles,” strongly condemned such an accusation against Ms. Mohammadi and demanded “the immediate and unconditional release” of this imprisoned worker.
Stephen Harper Calls for Support of Iranian Resistance, Endorses Maryam Rajavi’s Vision for a Free Iran
At the Free Iran 2024 World Summit in Paris on June 29, former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a powerful speech underscoring the Iranian people’s widespread rejection of the regime through a massive boycott of recent sham elections. Harper emphasized the significance of this boycott as a clear signal of the Iranian populace’s demand for the regime’s overthrow, asserting that the clerical government, despite severe repression, cannot deceive the people with its elections or extremist ideology.
Harper criticized Western governments, particularly the current US administration, for their misguided approaches to Tehran. He argued that regime change in Iran is crucial for promoting peace in the Middle East and that supporting the Iranian resistance is the only viable solution. Harper emphasized that toughening sanctions, condemning human rights violations, declaring Iran a state sponsor of terrorism, and closing down its embassies are necessary measures to isolate the regime and support the Iranian people’s aspirations.
He highlighted the strengths of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), noting its deep social roots, capable leadership, and clear principles, which include a commitment to free elections, human rights, gender equality, the separation of religion and state, and a non-nuclear state at peace with the world. Harper praised the NCRI’s vision for Iran’s future, calling it a fully viable alternative to the current regime.
Harper acknowledged the critical role of women in the resistance, emphasizing their bravery and significant contributions. He stated, “Women have been at the forefront of the resistance, demonstrating incredible bravery and resilience in the face of tyranny,” recognizing their essential role in the fight for a free Iran.
He also commended Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan, describing it as a comprehensive roadmap for Iran’s future. Harper elaborated, “Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran will extend political, social, and economic equality to women. It will allow all citizens to prosper and thrive in a free market economy. The Ten-Point Plan will ensure the freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly, and guarantee the right of every Iranian to live, to work, to worship, according to the dictates of their conscience in freedom.” He stressed that this vision aligns with universal democratic values and represents the future that the Iranian people desire and deserve.
Harper criticized the appeasement policies of Western capitals, which he argued have only emboldened the regime’s pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities and aggressive actions. He stated, “The policy of appeasement, and that is exactly what it is in Western capitals, has only made the regime more aggressive and more determined in its pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities. And as long as that strategy is pursued, that strategy of appeasement, these things will only get worse.”
He argued that the only way to deal with the Iranian regime is by opposing it and supporting the organized Iranian resistance. Harper pointed out that the NCRI is ready to offer a viable alternative through free and open elections, providing a government that adheres to principles of democracy, human rights, and gender equality.
In conclusion, Harper urged the international community to support the Iranian resistance and recognize it as a viable alternative to the current regime. He expressed confidence in the Iranian people’s ability to achieve a free and democratic Iran, stating, “Keep looking forward. Keep looking beyond the oppressors in Tehran today and the appeasers in other capitals who help keep them there. Instead, keep your sights focused on that promising future that you have conceived, that millions in Iran and around the world fervently wish to come into being. You can make it happen.”.@stephenharper: "The alternative, we know, is to oppose the regime, because the alternative to the regime is not chaos. It is Iran's well-organized and democratic opposition."#MaryamRajavi4FreeIran #FreeIran2024https://t.co/NoNFQDSCu8
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 29, 2024
Mike Pompeo: Iranian Resistance Poised to Topple Regime and Realize a Free Iran
In his speech at the Free Iran 2024 World Summit held in Paris on June 29, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo passionately advocated for international support for the Iranian resistance movement. He began by praising the courage and determination of the resistance members, particularly highlighting the pivotal role of women in the struggle against the oppressive regime. “Women have been at the forefront of the resistance, demonstrating incredible bravery and resilience in the face of tyranny,” Pompeo remarked, acknowledging their essential contribution to the fight for a free Iran.
Pompeo painted a stark picture of Iran’s current state under the clerical regime, marked by widespread poverty, corruption, and human rights abuses. Despite this grim reality, he expressed optimism about the future, asserting that the regime’s collapse is inevitable. “The Iranian regime has never been weaker than it is today. Four out of five Iranians now live below the poverty line. Corruption is at an all-time high. The Iranian people are fed up. They’re ready for change. They’re more united than ever before,” he declared, emphasizing the growing unity and resolve among the Iranian populace.
A significant portion of Pompeo’s speech was dedicated to endorsing Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan, which he described as a comprehensive and viable roadmap for Iran’s future. “Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran will extend political, social, and economic equality to women. It will allow all citizens to prosper and thrive in a free market economy. The Ten-Point Plan will ensure the freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly, and guarantee the right of every Iranian to live, to work, to worship, according to the dictates of their conscience in freedom,” Pompeo detailed, highlighting the plan’s alignment with universal democratic values.
He strongly criticized the current U.S. administration’s approach to Iran, particularly its attempts to revive the Iran nuclear deal. He argued that such actions are dangerous and counterproductive, emboldening the regime rather than curbing its malign activities. “The current American administration has been unraveling much of the progress that we made in marginalizing that tyrannical regime in Tehran,” Pompeo lamented, underscoring the necessity of a firm stance against the regime’s nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism.
Pompeo expressed his belief that the collapse of the Iranian regime is imminent. “The MEK provides a solution to so many problems, not only for Iran but for the broader Middle East as well,” he stated, praising the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) for its leadership and resilience.
“You should also note that I am confident that the Iranian people understand in the same way that each of us in this room does today, that the resistance matters, that the resistance will succeed, and that there is a deep, important, and bright future, where Iran will rejoin the peaceful nations of the world, and rejoin the set of nations that respect basic human dignity and rights. I am counting on it,” He added. Pompeo concluded by expressing confidence in the Iranian resistance’s ability to instill fear in the regime, suggesting that the regime is aware their hold on power is weakening. “I think you have them scared. I think they are paranoid. I think they wake up most days recognizing that their leash on power is shorter than they wish it were,” he asserted, urging continuous support for the Iranian people and their struggle for a free and democratic Iran.Today, I spoke before the Free Iran 2024 Summit in Paris in support of a democratic, non-nuclear Republic of Iran, after the Iranian people overwhelmingly rejected the mullahs' theocracy by boycotting their sham elections. I highlighted the need to provide political support for…
— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) June 29, 2024
Maryam Rajavi: Iran’s People Will Deliver the Final Blow to Khamenei’s Regime
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, The President-Elect of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), delivered a powerful and impassioned speech at the Free Iran World Summit 2024 in Paris, in which she underscored the determination of the Iranian people to overthrow the current regime and establish a democratic republic. “The overthrow of the Velayat-e faqih regime is inevitable, and freedom, democracy, and equality will be established in Iran, and peace will be secured in the Middle East,” Mrs. Rajavi said., emphasizing the certainty of the regime’s downfall and the dawn of a new era of liberty and democracy in Iran. She further highlighted the resilience of the Iranian people, who have shown their rejection of the regime through widespread boycotts and uprisings.
Regarding the regime’s recent presidential election, Mrs. Rajavi said, “The boycott struck a sledgehammer blow to the regime, with 88 percent of Iranians abstaining from the fraudulent elections. This overwhelming abstention represents the Iranian people’s decisive rejection of dictatorship and their clear vote for the regime’s overthrow.”
The election boycott is a powerful indicator of the regime’s declining legitimacy. The massive abstention rate reflects the people’s unequivocal desire for a revolution rather than participation in what they see as a sham electoral process.
“This election reflects the clerical regime’s utter political and strategic desperation. The next incoming President represents the continuation of the mullahs’ supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s strategy,” Mrs. Rajavi added.
Rajavi described the regime’s desperation as a government in its final throes, unable to sustain itself without resorting to extreme measures. She criticized the election process as merely an extension of Khamenei’s oppressive tactics.
On the flip side, Mrs. Rajavi highlighted the resilience of the Iranian Resistance. “This organized movement, soon entering its 60th year, has emerged from battles against both dictatorships of the Shah and the mullahs. It has endured in a struggle marked by torture, imprisonment, executions, and continuous exile, but has not wavered in its pursuit of freedom,” she said.
She acknowledged the sacrifices made by countless individuals who have endured immense suffering in their relentless fight for freedom.
She also stressed the Resistance’s rejection of all forms of tyranny, saying, “Whoever yearns for a republic and the people’s sovereignty, whoever longs for freedom and democracy, must first overthrow the dictatorships of both the Shah and the mullahs.”
Rajavi called for a rejection of all forms of dictatorship, be it from the past monarchy or the current clerical rule, emphasizing that true freedom and democracy in Iran can only be achieved by dismantling these regimes entirely.
In her speech, Mrs. Rajavi also reflected on the death of regime president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19. Raisi was known for his loyalty to Khamenei and his role in the execution of thousands of dissidents. “Raisi’s death was a ‘poisoned chalice’ for Khamenei. Clearly, the regime’s impasse did not occur suddenly at the moment of Raisi’s death. In 2021, Khamenei accepted the scandal of appointing a henchman as president, viewing him as the final recourse in confronting the ripe conditions for overthrow,” Mrs. Rajavi said.
Rajavi criticized Western governments for their policies of appeasement, which she argues only embolden the regime’s oppressive and terrorist activities. She called for a definitive end to such policies, advocating for stronger support for the Iranian Resistance.
“The moribund regime finds itself encircled by Iranian society, yet the policies of Western governments persistently hinge on appeasement. This is why it is crucial to decisively end this policy once and for all,” she said.
Rajavi concluded with a powerful assertion that the Iranian people will ultimately overthrow the regime through their persistent uprisings and unyielding spirit of resistance.
“Certainly, the people of Iran will deliver the final and necessary response to Khamenei the tyrant with the sledgehammer of uprising and overthrow,” she said.
Mike Pence Champions Freedom and Women’s Rights at Free Iran World Summit 2024
Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence delivered a speech at the Free Iran World Summit 2024 in Paris, highlighting the critical role of women in the resistance against the Iranian dictatorship, the hopeful future of Iran, and the Ten-Point Plan of Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
Talking about the Ten-Point Plan, he said, “Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran will extend political, social, and economic equality to women. It will allow all citizens to prosper and thrive in a free market economy. The Ten-Point Plan will ensure the freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly, and guarantee the right of every Iranian to live, to work, to worship, according to the dictates of their conscience in freedom.”
Pence honored the memory of the late Senator Joe Lieberman, a staunch supporter of Iranian freedom, before addressing the assembly. He expressed his unwavering support for the Iranian resistance, urging those fighting for freedom within Iran to persist: “Keep working, keep fighting, never stop believing in a free Iran, and never doubt that the freedom-loving American people are with you and support your dream of a secular democratic Iranian Republic.”
Reflecting on recent events, Pence noted the death of regime President Ebrahim Raisi, describing it as a moment that signified the regime’s weakening grip. “Raisi died of failure because the resistance is stronger than ever before,” he declared, highlighting the significance of the lowest voter turnout in Iran’s history during the recent elections as a testament to the people’s disillusionment with the regime.
Pence emphasized that the current regime in Iran is “weaker, less stable, and more prone to collapse than at any point in history.” He asserted that only a “tested, organized, and proven resistance” could bring about lasting change. This movement, he stated, is the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which he praised for its resilience and ability to inspire action.
The former Vice President underscored the regime’s fear of the NCRI, noting the persecution of its leaders and members. “The persecution and murder of members of the Resistance Units across Iran have strongly strengthened this movement in its numbers, its capabilities, its resolve, and its inspiration in the free world,” he said. Despite the regime’s efforts, Pence believes that the Iranian people are more united and ready for change than ever before.
Pence praised Maryam Rajavi’s leadership and her Ten-Point Plan, which promises a future of political, social, and economic equality for women, freedom of expression, assembly, and the right for every Iranian to live, work, and worship according to their conscience.
Reflecting on his visit to Ashraf 3 in Albania, Pence spoke of the sacrifices made by members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), expressing his confidence in their readiness to lead. “I know the MEK is ready to lead. I want the wider world to understand that MEK and the NCRI share the same values that Western nations hold dear.”
Pence criticized the current American administration for its approach to Iran, particularly the attempts to restore the Iran nuclear deal. He called these actions “naive and dangerous,” emphasizing the need for strong American leadership and support for the Iranian people. “We stand unequivocally on the side of freedom and the Iranian people and their Resistance Units,” he affirmed.
Addressing the broader geopolitical implications, Pence highlighted the Iranian regime’s support for global terrorism, including supplying drones to Russia and supporting terrorist groups. He argued that the regime in Tehran has never been weaker, with rampant poverty and corruption fueling public discontent. “Four out of five Iranians now live below the poverty line. Corruption is at an all-time high. The Iranian people are fed up. They’re ready for change,” he said.
Pence concluded his speech with a hopeful vision for Iran’s future. He expressed his belief that the day will come when the Iranian regime collapses and a new era of peace, prosperity, and freedom begins. “I believe just as the Soviet Union collapsed under the weight of its own sins, so too will be the fate of the oppressors in Iran. The day will come when the unelected Ayatollahs release their iron-fisted grip on Iran and their people, and a new glorious day will dawn.”
He assured the audience that he and millions of Americans will continue to pray for a free Iran and expressed his anticipation for the day when they will gather in a “free, open, democratic Iran.”
Free Iran 2024 World Summit Discusses Crimes Against Humanity and Accountability for Perpetrators
On July 1, 2024, the third day of the Free Iran World Summit convened under the theme “Crimes Against Humanity and Accountability for Perpetrators.” Leaders, lawmakers, judges, legal experts, and human rights activists from around the world gathered to discuss Iran’s dire human rights situation, focusing on extrajudicial executions and systematic disappearances.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), attended alongside international personalities and human rights advocates. She paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for human rights in Iran, highlighting the torture, solitary confinement, and execution threats faced by dissidents.
Iran’s Troubling Human Rights Record
The summit highlighted Iran’s record of repression, with 500,000 people imprisoned and tortured for political reasons and over 100,000 political prisoners executed. Iran also has one of the highest execution rates globally. The absence of international accountability has emboldened the regime. Atrocities include the massacre of Kurds, mass executions in the 1980s, the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, and crackdowns on protests in recent years.
Systematic Repression and Control
Speakers emphasized that human rights violations in Iran are systematic, affecting every facet of society, including education, workplaces, and the internet. The regime uses a network of organizations like the Basij paramilitary forces and the IRGC to maintain control. Ethnic minorities, religious groups, and women face severe oppression, with numerous institutions dedicated to enforcing the compulsory hijab and suppressing women.
The summit underscored Iran’s dubious distinction of holding contemporary world records in various forms of repression. According to reports, at least 500,000 people have been imprisoned and tortured for political reasons, with over 100,000 political prisoners executed. Iran also maintains one of the highest execution rates globally, with three-quarters of the world’s recorded executions in the previous year taking place in the country.
International Support for Iranian Resistance
International figures voiced support for the Iranian resistance. Former Norwegian MP Lars Rise and former French Minister Alain Vivien emphasized recognizing and supporting the Iranian Resistance Units. Marit Nybakk, former Deputy Speaker of the Norwegian Parliament, highlighted the regime’s public executions and endorsed the NCRI and Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a democratic Iran.
Legal Perspectives and International Action
French jurist Gilles Paruelle and Joachim Rueker, former President of the UN Human Rights Council, called for restoring justice and ending the regime’s practice of using foreign hostages. Dr. Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association, stressed the importance of universal jurisdiction to bring perpetrators to justice.
