Iranian Resistance supporters calls on joint EU - US summit in London to impose political and trade sanctions on mullahs' regime

Simultaneous with the joint European Union - United States Summit in London, this morning, a large group of Iranians residing in the UK staged a rally across the Prime Minister's office, calling on leaders taking part in the summit to adopt a decisive policy toward, and impose political and trade sanctions on, the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran.

Ms. Hajar Reyhani, a member of the Mojahedin's Leadership Council, read out the message by Mr. Massoud Rajavi, the President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran to the Summit leaders. Mr. Rajavi's message said in part: "One year after Mohammad Khatami's election, facts on the ground demonstrate that as simply another official of this medieval regime, he has neither the power nor the interest to take a single step toward reform.

"A principled policy on Iran is to reject all forms of appeasement and to stand firm vis-a-vis the ruling religious, terrorist dictatorship. At the same time, the necessary condition for the effectiveness of this policy is to recognize the right of the Iranian people to resist against the clerics and to restore democracy, peace and social justice. The majority of the Iranian people support the Resistance movement and its President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, who is the symbol of unity among Iranians."

Ayatollah Jalal Ganje'i, chairman of NCR's Committee on Freedom of Religion, then addressed the audience. He said: "10 months after Mohammad Khatami took office, the regime in its entirety is engulfed in crisis and its internal conflicts have escalated dramatically." Pointing to growing popular uprisings, including the 10,000-strong demonstration last week by southwest Tehran residents, who were chanting death to Khamenei and Khatami, he said: "The phase for the overthrow of the mullahs's triumvirate regime and the establishment of democracy and peace in Iran has arrived."

Mr. Malcolm Harper, Director of the United Nations Association in Britain spoke next. He said: Defending human rights and democracy means defending the people's rights and their resistance. I have come here to tell you that we totally support you and your resistance. I call upon my government to take a firm and approach towards the Iranian government for its continued violations of human rights inside Iran.

The rally's resolution was also read out. It said in part: "The disregard for the mullahs' unbridled terrorism by some Western countries coupled with their officials' frequent visits to Iran and their opening of line of credit for this regime, will only embolden the clerics to continue their suppression at home and export of terrorism abroad. The people of Iran will not recognise the regime's commitment, particularly oil contracts and deals signed with this regime following its overthrow."

At the end of the rally, a delegation from the National Council of Resistance presented the rally's resolution to a representative of Mr. Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, who is hosting the Summit.

Representative Office of the National Council of Resistance - Britain
May 18, 1998

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