Southend West’s MP, Sir David Amess, joined a parliamentary delegation to attend the annual conference to “Free Iran” hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) on Friday, 30th June and Saturday, 1st July 2018.

The conference brought together Iranians and others who support Iranian resistance against the current regime. Dignitaries from many countries gathered and spoke in a vast rally of support for Iranian reform. The event featured many notable guests, featuring the president-elect of the organisation, Maryam Rajavi, whose husband founded the NCRI in 1981.

Diplomats from across the globe included White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, former U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich, British MPs, MEPs and former Prime Ministers.

Sir David was honoured to speak alongside his fellow MPs to the large crowd as a longstanding supporter of democracy in Iran and co-chair of the British Committee for Iran Freedom. He said:

“The Iranian resistance is expanding its activities inside the country. Internationally, it has emerged as the only democratic alternative to the theocratic regime…today we do not want to talk about the condemnation of the mullah’s crimes. We want to talk about regime change which is at long last within our grasp. We want to talk about a future Iran with Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan.”

Rajavi’s 10-point plan is the platform of the NCRI and outlines a potential future for Iran, following their hopeful regime change. This future would entail a secular and free democracy for Iran in a new democratic regime. This future would afford the people of the Iran the basic civic freedoms that citizens of the free world enjoy.

Sir David remarked:

“In our country, we enjoy freedom. We want the Iranian people to enjoy the same freedoms that we do. We have a very large number of Brits here to join you in this cry for freedom. We stand united with each and every one of you in this battle. Your protests are shaking the theocracy to its core.”

Maryam Rajavi, speaking to the crowd, said:

“We call for the establishment of a society based on freedom, democracy and equality. We have defended and will defend gender equality, the right to freely choose one’s attire, separation of church and state, autonomy of nationalities, equal political and social rights for all citizens of Iran, abolition of the death penalty, freedom of expression, parties, the media, and assembly…”

Sir David was grateful to have attended the grand gathering in France, and he is hopeful for a future regime change in Iran with the alternative led by Maryam Rajavi and the NCRI.