MEK's Role in Iran and How It Can Help the Global Peace?

Iran Focus

London, 2 Jul - Experts and scholars, prior to participating in #FreeIran gathering, joined a panel discussion, held in Paris to discuss the current social-political situation in Iran and the role of the Iranian opposition (MEK) in this regards. The meeting was organized by the “Foundation for Middle East Studies (FEMO)”, and the “Alliance for Public Awareness, Iranian Communities in Europe(APA)”. The panel was moderated by Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield, former Assistant Secretary of State for Military Affairs, who was joined by Kenneth Blackwell, former US Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Linda Chavez, Founder and Chairwoman of the Center for Equal Opportunity and former White House Public Relations Liaison, Ramesh Sepehrrad, scholar practitioner from George Mason University in the US, Robert Torricelli, Member of the US Senate from 1997 to 2003 who also served 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Mohammed Alsulami, head of AGCIS and expert on Iran.

Ramesh Sepehrrad, the first speaker in the panel, who had focused her research on Iranian affairs, political governance, human rights, gender equality and U.S. policy, said that she once led a study of opposition groups to see where the core argument is. She found that the role of the Supreme Leader, the role of women and gender equality and democratic views were core issues when looking at opposition groups. For these specific reasons, the MEK and NCRI stand out.

Sepehrrad highlighted that this is not just in relation to rhetoric, but in particular with regards to action taken. She said that these opposition groups engage with the people of Iran on a day to day basis.

She said that the NCRI is popular inside Iran. Obviously, this is not something that can be easily checked by doing a poll or carrying out a survey because of the Iranian regime’s extreme reactions of violence when faced with dissent. There are countless cases of people being punished when they are discovered to be supporting the opposition. However, she said that the popularity of the NCRI can be gauged when participation at major events is analysed. Supporters of the NCRI/MEK are present at the right place, at the right time, posing questions the source of which are none by the NCRI/MEK. Supporters of the NCRI/MEK risk everything to stand up to the regime. Young people, old people, women, students – everyone will question the regime.