News on Iran

No. 42

June 19, 1995

A Publication of

National Council of Resistance of Iran

Foreign Affairs Committee

17, rue des Gords, 95430 Auvers-sur-Oise, France

Tel: (1) 34 38 07 28

Iranian dissident leader urges embargo of Tehran

Dortmund, Germany, June 16 (Reuter) - An Iranian dissident leader, barred by Bonn from addressing a rally in Germany, appealed by video on Friday for an international economic embargo against Tehran's Islamic fundamentalist government....

"An embargo against this regime is a demand of the Iranian people who do not want to see their national wealth and natural resources plundered by the mullahs and their revenues spent on suppression and the export of fundamentalism and terrorism," she s aid in live transmission shown on a large screen.

"I call upon the international community to boycott the Khomeini regime and to transfer Iran's seat at the Untied Nations to the national Council of Resistance of Iran."

Dortmund, Germany, June 16, AP- About 15,000 people rallied against Iran's fundamentalist regime on Friday, hearing the speech of a Paris-based opposition leader whose entry Germany barred....

Deutsche Welle Radio, June 16 - Some two three hours ago, the meeting of the National Council of Resistance of Iran was held in Dortmund, Germany. It had raised much uproar because the Federal Republic of Germany prevented entry to this country of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, elected as Iran's President by this council...

In her speech, Mrs. Rajavi greeted her compatriots who had gathered in the Dortmund hall, and also all those who were watching or listening to her in Iran, hoping that one day, Massoud (Rajavi) and she could see them first hand in Tehran's Azadi square . Mrs. Rajavi's speech showed that with the advancement of technology and satellite broadcasting, one can no longer speak of borders between countries...

Exiled Iranians Demonstrate in Durtmond Against Mullahs' Regime

Kolner Stadt Anzeiger, June 17-18: NCR's leader, Maryam Rajavi, could finally disseminate her call vial satellite broadcast. German officials had upon the request of the Foreign Ministry prevent the opposition leader's trip. Reason: She threatened foreign policy interests...

In an interview with Kolner Stadt Anzeiger, NCR's foreign policy spokesman, Mohammad Mohaddessin, called the ban on Rajavi's trip a dirty deal between the Government of Germany and the mullahs' regime. He talked, 15 times, with German government offici als and always received a positive response. Mrs. Rajavi's absence in Westfalenhallen did not hurt the enthusiasm of the crowd, who often got off their seats and stood up, waving their small flags and chanting "Shining sun, President of Iran, We will take her to Tehran." Iranian families had come from all over Germany to attend this meeting.

In Dortmund Meeting, Maryam Rajavi Declared

Charter of Fundamental Freedoms in Future Iran
  1. In the Iran of tomorrow, there will be complete freedom of belief, expression and the press. Any form of censorship or scrutiny of beliefs will be forbidden.
  2. In tomorrow's Iran, there will be complete freedom of parties, assemblies, political groups and unions, associations, councils and syndicates - except those groups loyal to the dictatorships of the Shah and Khomeini. There will be no limits to this f reedom, up to the point of armed uprising against the legitimate government and law of the land.
  3. In the Iran of tomorrow, general elections and suffrage will determine the legitimacy of the country's government. No law will be considered official or valid unless adopted by the elected legislators of the country.
  4. In tomorrow's Iran, the personal and professional security of all sectors of society, as well as individual and social rights, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, will be guaranteed.
  5. In the Iran of tomorrow, all repressive organs remaining from the Khomeini regime, and all extraordinary judges and tribunals will be abolished. Freedom to defend oneself, the right of associations of jurists to carry on activities, and public trials in the presence of impartial observers will be guaranteed.
  6. In tomorrow's Iran, women will enjoy social, political, and cultural rights absolutely equal to those of men, including those outlined here:
  7. In the Iran of tomorrow, all privileges based on gender, ethnic background, or beliefs will be abolished, and all sectors of society shall enjoy equal political and civil rights.
  8. In tomorrow's Iran, all forms of discrimination against the followers of various religions and denominations in the enjoyment of their individual and social rights will be prohibited. No citizen shall enjoy any privileges or be subject to any depriva tions in respect of nomination for election, suffrage, employment, education, becoming a judge or any other individual or social rights, for reason of belief or non--belief in a particular religion or denomination. The qualifications of judicial officials will not be determined by their religious or personal beliefs.
  9. Any form of compulsory religious or ideological teaching, and any compulsion to practice or non-practice of religious rituals and customs will be forbidden. The rights of all religions and denominations to teach, proselytize and freely perform their rituals and traditions, and the respect and security of all places belonging to them, shall be guaranteed.
  10. In the Iran of tomorrow, in order to secure and strengthen as much as possible the popular sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the national consolidation and unity of the country, the people of Iranian Kurdistan's just right to autonomy is recog nized, in accordance with the Plan adopted by the National Council of Resistance.
  11. In tomorrow's Iran, any form of discrimination shall be prohibited against any ethnic or social sector, whether Kurds, Balouchis, Arabs, or Turkmen. All rights, and cultural, social and political freedoms will be guaranteed for them within the framew ork of national unity and Iran's territorial integrity.
  12. In the Iran of tomorrow, where the workers, farmers, and multitude of hard-working people of the cities and villages are the driving force for progress, reconstruction and prosperity, all anti-labor and anti-peasant laws and regulations, and all deb ts owed by peasants and workers to the Khomeini regime, are abolished. New laws will be adopted in consultation with them, as the true owners of the fruits of their labor.
  13. In tomorrow's Iran, all nationalist and patriotic specialists, scholars, and artists, anywhere in the world, are welcome to take part in the reconstruction, prosperity, progress and independence of the country and in the service of the public. Their ideas, expertise, and efforts will be valued as our most precious human and national resource.
  14. In the Iran of tomorrow, the free market, individual and private ownership, and investment to develop the country's economy and production will be guaranteed.
  15. In tomorrow's Iran, provision of basic essentials, such as jobs, housing, health care and education to the underprivileged and poor, including workers, farmers, and government employees, in particular teachers, administrators, and retirees, will be a priority.
  16. Tomorrow's Iran will base its relations with the international community and its ties with other countries on independence, equality, and the safeguarding of its national interests and territories. It will refrain from interference in the affairs of others, and will prevent others from interfering in Iran's internal affairs. It will defend the interests of peace, peaceful co-existence, and regional and international cooperation.

Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran made the following comment on the large gathering of Iranians today in Dortmund, Germany:

The magnificent gathering of Iranian compatriots in Dortmund, Germany, to hear the speech of the Iranian Resistance's President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, took place amidst great fervor and enthusiasm of the participants despite the desperate attempts and c onspiracies of the terrorist-religious dictatorship ruling Iran.

It indicated the support of the overwhelming majority of the people of Iran for President Maryam Rajavi and the democratic alternative. The event was a vivid example of the wide social base of the Iranian Resistance inside Iran.

Such an unprecedented meeting convening 4,000 kms away from the Iranian borders, without Maryam's direct presence, and amidst the politically preventive attempts and terrorist intimidation of Iran's ruling mullahs, very well shows that if the people of Iran enjoyed freedom of choice and action in their country, how they would have risen up in support of this President.

Indeed, today, she is the symbol of national sovereignty and solidarity and resistance of the Iranian nation against the mullahs' illegitimate and detested dictatorship.

Now, if the terrorist-religious dictatorship denies this truth, it can accept to hold a free presidential election with sufficient guarantees and under the auspices of the United Nations. Without doubt, in such an election, the criminal mullahs will be swept away into the dust bin. This is precisely why the mullahs have never tolerated freedom of choice for the Iranian nation, and according to the nations' recognized right to resistance and freedom, the mullahs will be overthrown by the mighty arm of t he National Liberation Army of Iran.

Following are excerpts from the statement read at Dortmund's rally, on June 16, by Mr. Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chair of the NCR foreign affairs committee, explaining the process of granting and denying entry to the Resistance's President-elect to Germany :

On May 4th, we informed German officials of this gathering. A few days later, in a letter to the Interior Minister of this state, Nord Rhein Westfalen, we requested a meeting. In that he was involved in elections, the Minister designated one of his representatives to meet with me.

On May 12th, I met with his advisor and a number of other officials of this state and informed them of Mrs. Rajavi's proposed trip to Germany and speech in Dortmund. They agreed to provide Mrs. Rajavi with the necessary security, and announced that the re was no problem or difficulty with her upcoming visit or security needs.

From that date until June 9, we met at least 15 times with various officials of the state and federal governments, as well as officials of the city of Dortmund, and informed them of the details of the trip and the security measures, and reached an agre ement with them. On the second of June, the state Interior Ministry once again assured me that all of the issues had been resolved and there were no problems.

Last week, we learned from sources inside Iran that the mullahs' regime had sent delegations to Bonn to put pressure on the German government to prevent the entry of Mrs. Rajavi to Germany and the meeting.

The President of the National Council of Resistance sent two telegrams to the German chancellor on 9th and 12th of June, and warned him against surrendering to the demands of the criminal rulers of Iran. The NCR Secretariat also issued three statements in this regard. But as a result of the regime's enticements and intimidation, on the 13th of June, it was formally announced that the President-elect would not be allowed to enter German soil. On the 12th of June, government officials told Reuters that they had been put under pressure by the regime in Iran to prevent the meeting in Dortmund. A day later, they confirmed that a delegation of the mullahs' SAVAK was in Bonn. Finally on the 14th of June in response to revelations by us, the Foreign Ministry spokesman announced that the regime had asked the German government to stop the meeting in Dortmund.

This anti-democratic decision was taken on the same day that an unprecedented press conference in the British Parliament had publicized a call by 1,725 parliamentarians from the U.S. Congress and European countries for a complete trade embargo of the r egime and support for the just resistance of the Iranian people and its President-elect, Maryam Rajavi. In the 72 hours after the announcement of the cancellation of the trip by the President, we have met a wave of outrage over this move by the German government. We have received copies of numerous letters from German, European and American political dignit aries addressed to the German chancellor in protest to this move.

Germany Bowed to Economic Threats by Iran, Resistance Group Says

Bonn, Germany (AP), June 14 - An Iranian resistance group whose leader has been barred from entering Germany contended Wednesday that Germany bowed to economic threats from Tehran.

A day earlier, when Germany decided not to let resistance leader Maryam Rajavi address a rally in Dortmund, it insisted it was not caving in to demands from Iran. But Mohammad Mohaddessin, a spokesman for Mrs. Rajavi's Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, said Iran had threatened to stop paying interest on its debts to Germany and to cancel German business contracts."The Iran regime is turning Germany into its hostage," said Mohaddessin.... Mohaddessin said informers within Iran say an Iranian intelligence official named Amir Hossein Taghavi met with the German Foreign Ministry to seek a ban on Mrs. Rajavi, a charge Germany denies.

Independent, U.K., June 15, 1995 - The Iranian opposition reacted furiously yesterday to the announcement by the German government that it had banned its leader, Maryam Rajavi, from coming to Germany for a rally tomorrow night.

The National Resistance Council is generally seen as the most important umbrella group for the Iranian opposition. An all-party statement signed this week by 250 British MPs said: "Support for the National Resistance Council, and its president-elect [M rs. Rajavi] will expedite the establishment of democracy in Iran, and contribute to the restoration of stability in the region."

But Bonn told Mrs. Rajavi, who comes from France, that she was not allowed to attend the rally because of fears she would call for the armed overthrow of the Tehran regime. German officials insisted this would be "unacceptable". Her husband, Massoud Ra javi, chairman of the NRC, said: "This soft approach towards a regime which has been condemned for its breaches of human rights and export of terrorism... will only encourage the mullahs to further crimes." Mohammad Mohaddessin, of the NRC, said in Bonn that the "ludicrous" decision was the result of pressure from Tehran. He said Amir-Hossein Taghavi, a senior official in the security services, had seen foreign ministry and chancellery officials in Bonn in r ecent days. The foreign ministry denied it.

Germany's attitude towards Iran has long been ambivalent seeking to stand up for human rights while being cautious not to offend Tehran for diplomatic and commercial reasons. There was tension between Bonn and London in 1993, when Bernd Schmidbauer, coordinator of German intelligence, met Ali Fallahian, minister responsible for the security and intelligence services, and thus Mr. Taghavi's boss. Mr. Fallahian was described by Britain at the time as "the man responsible for terrorism"....

Germany and Iran

Washington Times, June 15, by Joshua Muravchik Germany has much to be proud of in its near half-century as a democracy since World War II. But it is covering itself with shame in its unseemly indulgence of one of the world's most repugnant regimes, the bloody mullahs who rule Iran.

In pursuit of the almighty deutschmark, Germany has made itself the prime exporter of goods to Iran, while Iran remains the prime exporter of terrorism to the world. And this week, Germany has even sacrificed its hard-earned democratic principles by bo wing to Tehran's demand that it help silence Iran's opposition....

In self-justification, the foreign ministry pointed out that Mrs. Rajavi's group advocates "a violent overthrow in Iran." Well, what are its alternatives? If the Iranian regime did not make a practice of arresting, torturing and murdering its opponents , if it left space for non-violent opposition, these people would not be in exile in the first place...

According to the Reuters news agency, German "government official say Bonn has used a 'critical dialogue' to urge Iran not to try to undermine other regime's, and would lose credibility if lets Maryam Rajavi speak here." The futility of this "dialogue" is proven daily in the terrorist outrages in Egypt, Israel and Algeria - all aided by Tehran. Most likely, Germany knows that the idea of such a dialogue is laughable, and just talks this way as an excuse for doing lucrative business-as-usual with Iran d espite its sponsorship of terrorism and drive for nuclear weapons. But even if there were something to the dialogue, no democrat can accept the equation being drawn here. Tehran does not merely advocate - or allow exiles to advocate - the overthrow of other regimes. That would be no problem. But it also trains terrori sts and supplies them with guns and explosives and sometimes with diplomatic cover. Shall we in the West say that if "Tehran refrains from fostering terror, we will refrain from fostering free speech? If it quits promoting tyranny, we will quit promoting democracy? The answer should be obvious. But in its eagerness to cozy up the despots Bonn seems to be losing its own clear grasp of democratic principles.

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