This global support for Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI, and its platform for a free Iran coincides with the isolation of the clerical regime
Today, we bring you a selection of speeches from some of the world’s most prominent women who participated in that significant summit. This global support for Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI, and its platform for a free Iran coincides with the isolation of the clerical regime, as evidenced by the recent boycott of two rounds of presidential elections in Iran. In the first round, 88 percent of people abstained from voting, and in the second round, 91 percent did not cast their votes.
Dozens of distinguished women from around the world attended the Free Iran 2024 World Summit to express their support for the only democratic alternative to the clerical regime in Iran: The National Council of Resistance of Iran and its President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, along with her Ten-Point Plan.
Among them were Liz Truss, the British Prime Minister in 2022; former senior French minister Michelle Alliot-Marie; Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth, the former 10-year President of the Federal Parliament of Germany; former presidents of Estonia and Ecuador; the former vice-president of Costa Rica; the former prime minister of Moldova; a former minister in the government of Afghanistan; and the former presidents of the European Bar Federation, Dominique Attias and Izabela Konopacka, as well as members of parliament from 50 countries across five continents.
Today, we’ll hear excerpts from the speeches of a few of these remarkable women.Let’s start with some words from
Ingrid Betancourt, former Senator and Presidential Candidate of Colombia
And if we are here, it’s not only because we believe in them, but we do. It’s also because we know that their fate is our fate. That our fate is linked to what happens in Iran… The resistance is as strong as ever. It is the major contender and it’s the only one that can overthrow the regime…
The resistance has also fought against gender inequality and against the misogynistic policies and I think they have been successful in doing so. Because today, in every corner of Iran, you hear people chanting, women, resistance, freedom…
We all know that as we speak, there is no action more important in the world to preserve our democracies, to preserve our values, to preserve our right to freedom than to unite all around the world for the liberation of the Iranian people. They will obtain freedom. And we will go all the way, hand in hand with them, until the end. Because with them, we demand free Iran forever.
Michèle Alliot-Marie, former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Interior
It is true that today, we must acknowledge that the situation in Iran is deteriorating. But we also see that when freedoms and human rights decline, it reflects the regime’s own fragility, as it faces internal and external resistance. This year, executions in Iran increased by 48%, a reminder of the regime’s brutal intolerance for dissent. We see protests met with bloodshed, where young and old, men and women, even children, are killed because the regime cannot tolerate opposition.
Iran, alongside Afghanistan, is among the worst offenders in suppressing women’s contributions to society. We must always remember to denounce this and support those fighting for what we take for granted. Iran needs its women and excluding them only weakens the regime.
In every resistance movement, it is crucial to see the positive. There is another path, the one you, Maryam Rajavi, have outlined with your Ten-Point Plan, embodying values essential for peace and prosperity. This hope exists and is recognized internationally, with more official voices denouncing Iran’s actions. While Iranians alone will shape their destiny, it is vital they know we stand with them, supporting their rightful struggle for a free, democratic, secular, equal, prosperous, and peaceful Iran.
Nancy Mace, Member of the US Congress, Co-president of the Iranian Women’s Caucus in the US Congress
The tragic death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 sparked a worldwide outcry and outrage, and it ignited a movement led by the courageous Iranian women, many of whom are here today. Their bravery in the face of brutality has highlighted the regime’s systematic subjugation of women. You must stand with these women, amplifying their voices. But this moment has also highlighted the spirit of the Iranian people and their determination. To the women of Ashraf 3, your fight is a testament to the enduring spirit of Iranian women who have led the charge for justice and equality in Iran and around the world.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, I am one of many co-sponsors on the bipartisan House Resolution H. Res. 1148. This resolution, which has majority support, backs the 10-point plan for the future of Iran authored by Maryam Rajavi. This plan echoes many principles we hold dear in the United States Constitution.
