The Iranian regime, due to its fanaticism, approaching nuclear capability and growing wealth (see Iran Nuclear Agreement), is the single greatest threat to peace in the Middle East. Its leaders have made it crystal clear that their principal objective is to acquire nuclear weapons and, once acquired, to turn them upon their neighbors and ultimately upon the Western democracies. I believe that the only way to stop them short of war is for that regime to collapse from within – something that almost happened in 2009 and 2015 – until Barack Obama blundered onto the scene first with his embrace of “Arab Spring” and then with his nuclear agreement with Iran.
The good news is that internal opposition to this regime runs strong and deep, and an administration dedicated to providing that movement with both the moral and material support it needs could bring this about. I strongly support that course of action. But time is running out.
Dawn is Coming
Videotaped Address to the Iranian Resistance Convention, Paris, France – June, 2015
I join with my colleagues in Congress, the half-million Iranian expatriates in the United States, the American people, and freedom-loving people around the world in sending best wishes to the International Convention in Paris of all the groups that are waging the liberation of Iran.
At a similar time in the history of Europe, after the dark pall of fascism had fallen over Poland, Winston Churchill prophesized that “the soul of Poland is indestructible and she will rise again like a rock, which may for a spell be submerged by a tidal wave, but which remains a rock.”
So it is today for Iran, which has been seized and subjugated by the latest incantation of Nazism, with all its brutality, terrorism, genocidal intentions and expansionist ambitions. For 36 years, Iran has been submerged by this medieval dictatorship, but all the while, the soul of Iran is indestructible, and it remains intact beneath the storm waters of the passing tempest.
Your movement is the light that can be seen by every Iranian through this dark night of tyranny. And there is an old saying that “it is always darkest before the dawn.”
Dawn is coming. The world knows of your struggle and it cheers for your success. Do not judge America by its current policy of appeasement. Americans are well aware of the fact that the fascist regime of Tehran cannot be trusted, that its hold over your country is illegitimate, and that its days are numbered.
The freedom-loving people of Iran and the United States are united by the self-evident truths expressed in our own Declaration of Independence – “that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation upon such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”
That is the right of all human beings, and that is history’s guarantee that your work will ultimately succeed.
The terrorist government in Tehran has made very clear that it intends to acquire nuclear weapons and when acquired, to use them. It has also made very clear that its word to the contrary is meaningless.
The only way to stop this from happening, short of a catastrophic war, is for that regime to collapse from within. Your work has never been more urgent than it is now.
The world is well aware of the strong opposition and resistance to the dictatorship that has been seething and simmering within Iran for many years. It nearly boiled over in 2009.
We all know that the regime is weak, and that now is the time to apply the maximum economic pressure upon it, while assuring that the Iranian opposition has all the material and moral support the civilized world can provide. And it means honoring the solemn promise of protection that the American government gave to those struggling at Camp Liberty. The Iranian Human Rights and Democracy Caucus within the U.S. House of Representatives is determined to see this happen.
Churchill’s prophetic warning of 1938 is hauntingly relevant today:
“A state of society where men may not speak their minds, where children denounce their parents to the police, where a business man or small shopkeeper ruins his competitor by telling tales about his private opinions – such a state of society cannot long endure if brought into contact with the healthy, outside world. The light of civilized progress with its tolerances and co-operation, with its dignities and joys, has often in the past been blotted out. But I hold the belief that we have now at last got far enough ahead of barbarism to control it, and to avert it, if only we realize what is afoot and make up our minds in time. We shall do it in the end. But how much harder our toil for every day’s delay!”
Every one of your exertions hastens that day of redemption and liberation for Iran. We all pray that the day comes sooner than later, but rest assured, come it will.
History is Watching
Remarks to Organization of Iranian-American Communities – November 5, 2015
The atrocities now rained upon Camp Liberty are a stain on American honor and cannot be allowed to continue.
MEK’s freedom fighters relied on explicit promises of protection from our government when they disarmed themselves and placed their safety in our hands. Four years ago, this administration walked away from those promises and turned over the fate of the people of Camp Liberty to the corrupt Iraqi government. That government, which was created with the blood of thousands of American soldiers, has repeatedly allowed attacks on the camp by Iranian forces while the United States government has simply looked on.
The attack last week on Camp Liberty should surprise no one. Previous attacks went unaddressed and unanswered which led directly and predictably to the attack last week. Unless concrete steps are taken by this administration to rescue the heroes of Camp Liberty, we can expect continuing and escalating violence.
The Iranian dictatorship, which this administration revived and rewarded by lifting international sanctions, has made no secret of its intention to exterminate the 2,200 refugees who remain at Camp Liberty and the Iraqi government has made crystal clear it will stand by idly while they do. Only action by the United States can prevent this unfolding tragedy and injustice — and time is fleeting.
History will look back on the coming days either as America’s finest hour – when we rose to redeem the promises made to the Camp Liberty freedom fighters – or as its most shameful hour, when we turned our backs and allowed the slaughter of 2,200 souls who voluntarily disarmed at our request and who placed their trust in us for their protection.
History is watching. And history will not forget what happens there.
Israel and Iran
House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. – September 29, 2009
M. Speaker:
The news from Iran should be a wake-up call to men and women of good will from throughout the world. Iran is arming with the avowed aim of attacking Israel and the United States.
Some say that America has nothing to worry about – Iran has no ability to deliver missiles to America. They forget that if nuclear weapons are used against our nation, they won’t be delivered in missiles, they will be delivered in suitcases and cargo crates.
Two points come through loud and clear: What’s at stake for civilization and what’s at stake for the United States.
Saleem Fayad made it very clear that their vision of the so-called two-state solution is two Islamic states. And Benjamin Netanayu made it just a clear that the Israeli government is well aware of that as well, which is why any peace agreement must be one that can be enforced. I was left with the strong impression that the folly of the Gaza Strip will not be repeated on the West Bank.
Then he told of meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, in which they spoke of China and Israel being two of the three oldest intact civilizations in the world (the third being India). The Foreign Minister was shocked to learn that the world Jewish population is just 15 million. Given the proportional population increases that should have taken place, that population should be 750 million. After a stunned silence, the Chinese Foreign Minister asked, “What happened?” Netanyau said, “Well, A LOT of things happened. But it comes down to this: the Chinese have always had China. The Indians have always had India. The Jews lost their homeland 2,000 years ago, and only got it back 60 years ago.
The Nazi leaders knew that in order to conquer Europe they had to break Great Britain. And today the Islamic leaders know that in order to conquer the Mediterranean and Europe, they have to break Israel. They know it and we know it.
In 1938, Churchill said, “The light of civilized progress with its tolerances and co-operation, with its dignities and joys, has often in the past been blotted out. But I hold the belief that we have now at last got far enough ahead of barbarism to control it, and to avert it, if only we realize what is afoot and make up our minds in time. We shall do it in the end. But how much harder our toil for every day’s delay!”