The women and young people of Iran are fighting a life-and-death battle against their terror-sponsoring religious dictatorship – Britain and the West must do everything they can to help, writes US Congressman Patrick Kennedy.
By PATRICK KENNED, May 3, 2023 | Originally published in Express, United Kingdom
The perilous threats to global peace and security posed by Iran’s nuclear program and terrorist activities have long been a matter of great concern for the United States and Western powers.
Though targeted measures have been employed by the US administration and its allies, the magnitude of the multifaceted menace requires a more decisive and resolute response.
It is therefore imperative to acknowledge the deep-seated domestic instability of the regime, which has been inflamed by sustained protests over the past six months and take concrete action to bolster the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.
The far-reaching and tenacious uprising, which has been led by the youth and women of Iran, bears testament to the fortitude and bravery of a people determined to forge a brighter future.
Despite the risk of arrest, detention, and even execution, they have steadfastly demanded change in the face of over four decades of economic mismanagement, rampant corruption, and egregious human rights abuses under the current regime.
The regime’s brutal and violent reaction to the protests, including arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings, is a clear indication of its flagrant disregard for the will of its people.
However, the Iranian people have remained resilient and persistent in the face of such oppression, and their cause must be supported by the international community.
Enter the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), led by the indefatigable Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, who has emerged as a key figure in securing Iran’s democratic future.
Her visionary 10-Point plan for Iran’s future, a contemporary, secular platform that espouses the separation of religion and state, as well as the rights of women and minorities, offers a progressive and enlightened alternative to the oppressive policies of the present regime.
It has garnered support from millions of Iranians and hundreds of lawmakers and officials across the globe.
As I said in a major rally in Brussels in March, efforts by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah, to position himself as a figurehead for the opposition have been largely unsuccessful due to his failure to dissociate himself from the human rights abuses committed by his father’s regime.
The nationwide uprising has been marked by chants of “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader (Khamenei),” reflecting a rejection of both the theocratic system and the autocratic rule of the Pahlavi dynasty.
Her visionary 10-Point plan for Iran’s future, a contemporary, secular platform that espouses the separation of religion and state, as well as the rights of women and minorities, offers a progressive and enlightened alternative to the oppressive policies of the present regime.
Instead, the Iranian people are demanding a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic that upholds the rights of all, including those of ethnic and religious minorities. READ MORE …
