PREFACE



In an official declaration in December 1994, signed by all its 235 member organizations and personalities, including the chairs of its 18 committees, the National Council of Resistance of Iran described the U.S. State Department report against the People's Mojahedin of Iran as "worthless" and "abounding in distortions and contradictions." It said the report, submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on October 28, 1994, amounts to a rehash of the State Department's baseless allegations against the Iranian Resistance since 1985, dating back to the Irangate scandal and dealings with the Khomeini regime.

Stressing that despite congressional urging and emphasis, those preparing it had stubbornly refused to hear the views of the Mojahedin and other members of the NCR, the declaration underscored the following points:


1- The report is released at a time when the clerical regime is beset by internal and external crises. There are no prospects for the regime's viability and survival as the crisis of Marja'iat (leadership) escalates, discontent among different sectors of society incessantly mounts, and popular protests and violent uprisings expand. In contrast, the National Council of Resistance and the National Liberation Army of Iran are prepared to overthrow the Khomeini regime and establish liberty and popular sovereignty. The Iranian people's enthusiastic support, in and out of Iran, for the Resistance's President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, during the week of national solidarity, the July 21 worldwide demonstrations and the Mehregan celebrations, testifies to this fact.
Under such circumstances, lacking an alternative to their liking, the advocates of the same policies that led to the shameful 1953 coup d'Žtat against the nationalist government of Dr. Mohammad Mossadeq, who reject an independent, free, democratic, advanced and modern Iran, have published this report in a bid to appease the religious tyranny and retard the rapid pace of developments favoring the democratic and popular alternative. It is not without reason that for the most part, the report repeats vituperations by the remnants of the Shah's regime and proponents of the current one.

2- It must be stressed that only the people of Iran are qualified to decide on the merits, or lack thereof, of the political alternative to Khomeini's illegitimate regime. Although the ruling religious, terrorist dictatorship has denied the Iranian people the chance to go to the ballot box and elect freely, they have nonetheless extended the highest degree of trust and support to the Iranian Resistance. If it were otherwise, the National Council of Resistance would have had no roots among the Iranian people and definitely been destroyed. In that case, there would have been no need for 41 pages of distortions and slanders. How can one describe a Resistance as lacking in roots and credibility, and dependent on a country smaller than its own, and yet deem such an onslaught against it by the State Department of the sole super power in the world as urgent and necessary? Is it not a fact that they have assessed the clerical dictatorship's overthrow and the assumption of power by this very Council, as definite?
Like Dr. Mossadeq, the greatest "sin" of the NCR and its President, Mr. Massoud Rajavi, has been to uphold and strive for independence, democracy and human rights. It is not surprising, therefore, that this report describes the Mojahedin and the National Council of Resistance as "fundamentally undemocratic" and says that "they are not a viable alternative to Iran's current regime."

3- The National Council of Resistance is committed to transfer power to the people's representatives within six-months of the regime's overthrow through direct, general elections for a National Legislative and Constituent Assembly. The NCR guarantees the "individual and social rights of the people, as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all general freedoms, including the right to hold assemblies, freedom of speech and beliefs, the press, parties, syndicates, councils, religions and denominations, and the freedom to choose one's occupation." It emphasizes "political and social equality among all citizens and abolishes all privileges on the basis of gender, creed or ideology." It declares "all citizens equal before the law and underscores complete social, political, cultural and economic equality between women and men." These ratified documents have been published frequently and are readily accessible to all. That those preparing the report chose not to refer to them, only reflects their bias and the report's lack of credibility.

4- The National Council of Resistance vehemently rejects and condemns the report's false and erroneous statements about the NCR, its history, past and present members; the unfounded allegations against its President; and the redundant charges of lack of democracy within the Council. The NCR reiterates: "Mr. Massoud Rajavi is the Council's President and spokesman. As such, his views and stances must be regarded as the culmination of the Council's deliberations and decisions." The NCR's modus operandi and decision-making process are based on formally announced democratic guidelines and bylaws, fully implemented by its President in the 14 years since the NCR's foundation. Mr. Massoud Rajavi has founded a lasting coalition in our history which is the nationalist and democratic alternative to this terrorist regime. Thus, it is only natural that he would be the first target of accusations by the enemies of our liberation movement. Precisely for this reason, this slander and these insults and accusations are considered as an attempt to destroy a movement and constitute a declaration of enmity toward the entirety of an enchained nation and its combatants of freedom.

5- The National Council of Resistance emphasizes that such reports and the policy of appeasement that placates the ruling mullahs only embolden them to persist in internal suppression and export of terrorism and fundamentalism to other countries. Due to the presence of a nationwide and just Resistance and its military arm, the National Liberation Army, however, the current Iranian situation is vastly different from the time of the 1953 coup d'Žtat and the Irangate era. Nothing can prevent this regime's overthrow and the victory of a democratic and nationalist Iran. In this path, the National Council of Resistance of Iran welcomes the friendship of all nations, governments, forces and personalities who respect the just rights of the Iranian people for democracy and independence.