Iranian opposition leader: In confronting Islamic extremism, mullahs must be evicted from Middle East

PARIS, Feb. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaking at an international conference titled, "Islamic Fundamentalism: Roots, Solutions, Role of Iranian Regime," Maryam Rajavi, the head of the Iranian opposition group the National Council of Resistance of Iran said, "The first and foremost imperative step in confronting extremism under the veneer of Islam is to evict this regime, particularly from Iraq and Syria."

At the event held in Paris on Saturday Rajavi said, "the consequences of any partnering with the mullahs' regime in the coalition against ISIS is a hundred times more dangerous than any brand of Shiite or Sunni Islamic fundamentalism and it would inescapably expand and aggravate the current catastrophe."

Among other speakers was former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who strongly criticized the Obama administration's policy on Iran and the region. "Iran is more dangerous than ISIS," Giuliani said. "We don't need Iran to fight ISIS." Speaking of officials of the Iranian regime, he added, "We don't need murderers and assassins on our side."

A number of prominent former US officials and European parliamentarians took part in the conference and called attention to both the flaws in international policy toward Iran and the domestic situation inside the country.

Rajavi said that despite severe repression the Iranian people have "steadfastly refused to submit" to the regime. Citing social discontent and organized resistance as factors weakening the regime, she assessed that the regime is on a weak footing.   

Western speakers emphasized that democratic nations and particularly the United States have been either ignorant or inactive in the face of Tehran's meddling in the region, its ongoing support for terrorist organizations, and its occupation of Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. They expressed the view that the international community has taken a conciliatory stance in negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, putting them on the verge of leaving Iran as a nuclear-threshold state and further imperiling the region.

The issue of the Iranian nuclear program and negotiations between the P5 +1 and Tehran has become controversial in the West, particularly in Washington.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday again to discuss developments those negotiations, which have been at an impasse for months.

At Saturday's conference, Rajavi suggested that the West's overly soft approach is only emboldening the regime to continue its pursuit of a nuclear bomb. Rajavi insisted that this approach must be reversed so as to compel the regime to fully implement the Security Council resolutions, stop uranium enrichment, and accept snap inspections of all its facilities and suspect sites.

SOURCE Iran News Update

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