Majority MPs in Britain recognize Iranian Resistance's legitimacy and credibility
- Mr. Rajavi: Decisive stance by the Commons reflects failure of Khatami and the ruling theocracy's allies in confronting Mojahedin and Iranian Resistance

On the twentieth anniversary of the anti-monarchic revolution in Iran, a majority in Britain's House of Commons condemned in an all party declaration the Foreign Office's policy of rapprochement with the clerical regime. They also declared their support for the Mojahedin as a legitimate Resistance movement against the suppressive regime ruling Iran, stressing that as a majority in the U.S House of Representatives stated last autumn, labeling this Resistance movement as terrorist is totally unjustified.

The news was made public in a press conference by MPs Robin Corbett and Bruce George from the Labour Party and David Amess from the Conservative Party.

The 330 MPs, who comprise two-thirds of the Commons (not counting those MPs who are members of the government), stressed: "With the evidence of sustained support for the democratic political alternative put forward by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, it is not the right time for us to seek improved bilateral relations or continue our extensive ties with the regime. Any government, which believes in an ethical foreign policy, should not seek to improve relations with the mullahs' regime which sponsors international terrorism." "There should be no talk of any trade concessions, credits or loans to a regime which is incapable of change and which is under increasing social and economic pressures from the people to whom it brutally denies basic rights and democratic representation," they added.

Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran said in this regard: The emphasis by a majority of the elected representatives the British people on the need to abandon placating policies, adopt a firm policy vis-a-vis the clerical regime and support the Iranian Resistance is a testament to the aware conscience of the people of this country and their elected representatives to defend human rights and democracy.

He added: The majority declaration which recognizes the legitimacy, prowess and credibility of the Iranian Resistance is a bitter defeat for mullahs' criminal President Khatami who has put confrontation with the Mojahedin and the Iranian Resistance on top of his foreign policy agenda. The Commons' firm stands also exposes those policy makers, especially in Britain, who in pursuit of a policy of rapprochement with the clerical regime and economic interests, have accused the Iranian Resistance of terrorism, Mr. Rajavi added.

The majority statement condemns the continuing human rights violations during Khatami's tenure, including the rise in executions and the systematic abuse of the rights of women and religious minorities. It adds: "The Iranian people have the right to resist the ruling theocracy under the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This recognizes the Ôrecourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression' and makes it inaccurate to label terrorists those who oppose the regime."

Mr. Rajavi underscored that contrary to the efforts by the clerical regime and its domestic and foreign allies who accuse the Iranian Resistance of resort to violence and terrorism, the majority statement recognizes war of liberation and armed struggle to overthrow the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran and draws clear demarcations between this legitimate and just struggle and terrorism.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
February 11, 1999

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