By Pejman Amiri
A huge number of Iranian associations from around the world took part in the mobilization effort of “We must & we can” a major gathering of Iranians in Paris on June 13, the organizers said on Saturday.
This event happens every year since 2002, the scope of the campaign involves five continents and three generations of Iranians, clearly send a message shared by all Iranians: “No to the dictatorship of the president of terror, Hassan Rouhani and yes to democratic change in Iran.”
The associations were from throughout Europe, the US, Canada and Australia, and included a wide range of intellectuals, political and human rights activists, women’s rights activists, entrepreneurs, experts of many professions, and students. Many of the representatives of associations were from ethnic and religious minorities.
According to event organizers, one new aspect of the mobilization effort was the participation of young Iranians who are getting involved in dimensions unmatched in any other occasion. The active role of Iranian women’s associations was another new feature of this year’s effort. Their common message was “We want to make sure that the young generation in Iran, the ones who are our age, hear our message for Iran Freedom loud and clear.”
The diverse Iranian groups and communities set to meet in the French capital have all pledged their support for democratic change in Iran and condemned claims that the regime’s new president Hassan Rouhani is a “moderate”.
The world’s Iranian dissidents also underscored that the oppressed people of Iran are desperate to overthrow the extremist religious dictatorship, and urge Western governments not to overlook the regime’s barbaric abuses of human rights for the sake of the ongoing nuclear negotiations.
The actions of previous governments in Iran, including the execution of 120,000 political prisoners, the suppression of women, and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities under the cloak of religion is continuing unabated under Rouhani’s government for two years now.
The associations also will call on all freedom loving people of the world to raise their voices in support of the Iranian resistance led by president-elect Maryam Rajavi of the NCRI and to back her plan for regime change as the best vision for a free and democratic Iran.
“The people of Iran neither want nuclear weapons, nor meddling in Iraq, Syria or Yemen, nor despotism, torture and shackles,” Rajavi said in her speech to the cheering crowd. “The people of Iran are the tens of millions of enraged teachers, students, nurses and workers who demand freedom, democracy, jobs and livelihood.”

By Pejman Amiri , Political and human rights activist who has fled Iran due to the repression of freedom activists.