Iranians from across U.S. join Iran Freedom March in Washington D.C.
- IRAN NEWS
- 3/8/2019
Iranian-Americans at the “Iran Freedom
March” voicing support for ongoing protests in Iran, calling for the
recognition of the Iranian Resistance against the mullahs’ regime -
Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
Reported by PMOI/MEK
Washington D.C, March 8, 2019
- On Friday, Iranians from more than 40 states across the U.S.
gathered in Freedom Plaza, Washington D.C., to join the Iran Freedom
March, a rally in support of popular protests in Iran. The demonstrators
also voiced support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI),
the main Iranian opposition coalition which has been calling for the
toppling of the tyrannical regime of mullahs ruling Iran and the
establishment of a secular and democratic state.
The
rally took place as the past 15 months have seen ongoing protests
across Iran. People from all walks of life, all segments of the Iranian
society and all corners of the country have been holding demonstrations,
strikes and sit-ins for their most basic rights, trampled by the ruling
mullahs for four decades. The people are holding the mullahs’ regime in
its entirety for deteriorating economic conditions and lack of
political and social freedom.
Iranian-Americans rallying at the “Iran Freedom March” - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
Protests over
unpaid wages, high prices, low salaries, government corruption and the
incarceration of activists have become a common scene across Iran.
Slogans of regime change and calling off the government for its
corruption have become increasingly popular in Iranian protests during
the past year. “Down with Khamenei and Rouhani,” “Death to dictator,”
and “The enemy is right here” are some of the slogans regularly chanted
across Iran.
The
year 2018, in particular, began in Iran with a nationwide uprising that
lasted more than two weeks and encompassed all 31 provinces of Iran,
spreading to more than 142 cities.
Participants
in the Iran Freedom March were there to make sure the voices of their
compatriots inside Iran were heard in the U.S. “Every Iranian shouts:
Down with Khamenei and Rouhani,” the rally’s participants were chanting.
Iranian
opposition NCRI President Maryam Rajavi sending a video message to the
Iran Freedom March in Washington D.C. - March 8, 2019
In a televised message to the rally, NCRI President Mrs. Maryam Rajavi
marked International Women’s Day and the struggles of Iranian women for
freedom in their country. “On March 8, I call on all women in the
United States and around the world to support the fight of their sisters
in Iran to overthrow the ruling regime,” Mrs. Rajavi said.
Mrs.
Rajavi also underlined how the corrupt rule of the mullahs has driven
the lives of the Iranian people into poverty, unemployment, inflation
and a rash of economic, social and environmental crises. “So long as the
clerical regime is in power, none of these ills will be resolved. The
ruling mullahs will become ever more dependent on their devastating
policies, namely the suppression of Iranian society, warmongering and
destructive meddling in the region, money laundering, terrorism in
Europe and the United States, and plundering the assets of the people of
Iran,” Mrs. Rajavi said.
That is a bald-faced lie to preserve the religious tyranny; and it is an insult to the people and resistance of #Iran.#DCIranFreedomMarch #FreeIran#IranRegimeChange pic.twitter.com/PuJuQUlPPy— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 8, 2019
Ongoing
protests in Iran and the continued activities of Iranian Resistance
Units, networks of supporters of PMOI/MEK, have largely undermined the
rule and power of the ruling regime, Mrs. Rajavi underlined. “The regime
now faces one of the most difficult periods of its rule. The continued
uprisings have destabilized the ruling structure. And there is no going
back. Change in Iran is within reach more than any other time,” Mrs.
Rajavi said.
Mrs.
Rajavi underlined the NCRI’s a movement deeply rooted in Iran which is
capable of overthrowing the regime and managing affairs during the
transition so that the Iranian people can choose their true
representatives through free and fair elections. “The international
community is duty-bound to respect the struggle of the Iranian people to
overthrow the clerical regime. This is essential for global peace and
security,” Mrs. Rajavi said.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas delivered an inspiring speech at the gathering.
“I
believe in what you believe in. The Iranian people want regime change.
We want it in a peaceful manner. We want people to do it in a democratic
manner and a strong manner. We want the nuclear capacity to be
contained so that we can focus on the investment in the people of Iran.
We thank you very much for the leadership that you have given. I am a
believer in democracy. I believe in your strength, determination and
perseverance. Never give up in the democracy of peace, in the democracy
of strength,” she said.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX) delivering a speech at the Iran Freedom March - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
Rep. Brad Sherman of California sent a video message to the Iran Freedom March.
“The
regime has demonstrated time and again that it is no friend of the
United States and no friend of the Iranian people. As you know all,
since it first came to power, the Islamic republic has exported
terrorism around over the world. Just last summer, the Iranian Islamic
republic tried to bomb your rally in Paris. Thankfully, that plot was
foiled,” he emphasized.
Rep. Brad Sherman (CA) sending a video message to the Iran Freedom March - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
Linda
Chavez, former White House Liaison Officer, delivered a speech
condemning human rights violations in Iran and specifically criticizing
the appointment of Ebrahim Raisi as the chief of the regime’s judiciary by supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Raisi was a member of a panel of judges who sentenced thousands of political prisoners to death in 1988.
At the time, the Iranian regime executed more than 30,000 political
prisoners, most of whom were members and supporters of the People’s
Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
“How
can there be freedom when you have a monster who killed people of all
ages, men, women, even pregnant women, children, young girls, 15 year
old girls, tortured and then executed by this monster. So we must say no
to this regime. We must press for freedom, for all of the things that
Madam Rajavi has promised the Iranian people,” she said.
Linda Chavez, former White House Liaison Officer, at the Iran Freedom March - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
“Iran Freedom March” - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
“Iran
Freedom March” calling on the international community to recognize the
right of the Iranian people to overthrow the religious dictatorship
ruling Iran - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
The
Iran Freedom March rally called for a firm policy vis-a-vis the Iranian
regime’s terrorism, human rights violations and security threats to
global peace and security. The participants called for the international
recognition of the NCRI as the democratic alternative of the Iranian
regime and the representative of the Iranian people. They also voiced
their support for Mrs. Rajavi’s ten-point plan,
which calls for a democratic and secular state that provides equal
opportunities to all Iranians regardless of their gender, religion and
ethnicity. Mrs. Rajavi also calls for the dismantlement of Iran’s
nuclear project, the abolishment of the death penalty and an end to
meddling in the affairs of neighboring countries. “Democracy, freedom
with Maryam Rajavi,” the rally participants were chanting.
“Iran Freedom March” - Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
A
delegation of women at the “Iran Freedom March” highlighting the plight
and ongoing struggles of Iranian women against the mullahs’ regime -
Washington, D.C. - March 8, 2019
