Aug 25 2020

The recent U.S. designation of the Iranian regime’s 13 terrorist diplomats, who assassinated Professor Kazem Rajavi in Switzerland in 1990, along with the recent trial of Assadollah Assadi, another terrorist diplomat arrested in 2018 for attempting to bomb the opposition rally, underlines the need to close all the regime’s embassies and hold all terrorists and top officials of the mullahs’ regime to account for terrorism.

United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Friday, announced the designation of 14 Iranian regime officials, including 13 terrorist operatives involved in the assassination of Professor Kazem Rajavi, the representative of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Switzerland, and a renowned human rights defender.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s President-elect, welcomed the designation by the U.S. Secretary of State of 13 assassins of Dr. Kazem Rajavi and described it as an essential and effective step to combat terrorism and to safeguard the security of European countries.

“Friday, August 21 marks the annual Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. To both remember and honor these victims, today the U.S. Department of State is announcing visa restrictions on 14 Iranian individuals for their involvement in gross violations of human rights on behalf of the Iranian regime, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. This action is taken pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, FY 2020, making ineligible for entry into the United States officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members about whom the Secretary of State has credible information of involvement in a gross violation of human rights. Their immediate family members are also ineligible for entry into the United States,” read Secretary Pompeo’s statement.

While underlining that the Iranian regime’s terrorism and malign activities target the Iranian people in the first instance, the U.S. State Department announced the designation of Hojatollah Khodaei Souri, former head of the notorious Evin Prison.

“It is not only abroad where the Iranian regime uses fear and violence to control Iranian citizens. We are also publicly designating Hojatollah Khodaei Souri, who as director of Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, oversaw an institution synonymous with torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. Evin Prison has been used to oppress peaceful Iranian protestors and journalists, as well as foreigners who are swept up and imprisoned to be held hostage to squeeze concessions out of their home governments. The United States looks forward to the day when the perpetrators of Iran’s innumerable human rights violations will face true justice and hopes that these measures offer some comfort and reassurance to the families and friends of those lost to the Iranian regime’s violence and oppression at home and abroad.”

In 2006, an investigating magistrate in Switzerland issued an arrest warrant for Ali Falahian, then the regime’s Minister of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), for “carefully planning” the assassination of Dr. Rajavi. In addition, it was revealed that 13 terrorists, who had diplomatic passports, were able to go back to Iran, without being tried for their crime.

In this regard, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi said: “The designation, prosecution, and punishment of the assassins of Dr. Rajavi and other Iranian regime’s terrorists and leaders have been delayed by the European countries for many years, which has only emboldened the regime in shedding blood and engaging in terrorism in Europe.”

Recently, the second trial of Assadollah Assadi, was held in Belgium. He was arrested, along with three other terrorists in 2018, while attempting to bomb the NCRI’s annual “Free Iran” gathering in Paris. Assadi’s trial marks the first trial of a diplomat in Europe for direct involvement in terrorism. Prior to his arrest, Assadi was operating under the pretext of the third secretary of the regime’s embassy in Austria. He was in reality head of the MOIS station in that country.

Like the assassination of Dr. Rajavi, the order of this foiled bombing plot was issued by the Iranian regime’s top authorities, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. As always, the regime’s Foreign Affairs Ministry headed by the regime’s Foreign Minister and chief apologist, Mohammad Javad Zarif, gave diplomatic coverage to Assadi to freely transfer TATP explosives to Europe, using a civilian airplane and continue its operation in Europe.

In this regard, Mrs. Rajavi had said that in addition to Assadi and other terrorists arrested as perpetrators of this crime, the actual masterminds, namely Khamenei, Rouhani, Zarif, and Mahmoud Alavi, the Minister of Intelligence, must be prosecuted. This was necessary to stop the unbridled terrorism of the mullahs.

Now it is time for the international community to hold the Iranian regime’s officials to account for their terrorism and close the regime’s embassies in Europe. This is an indispensable step to stop the regime’s terrorism once and for all and protect the peace and security in the Middle East and around the globe.

The full text of State Department’s statement:

Friday, August 21 marks the annual Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. To both remember and honor these victims, today the U.S. Department of State is announcing visa restrictions on 14 Iranian individuals for their involvement in gross violations of human rights on behalf of the Iranian regime, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. This action is taken pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, FY 2020, making ineligible for entry into the United States officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members about whom the Secretary of State has credible information of involvement in a gross violation of human rights. Their immediate family members are also ineligible for entry into the United States.

These actions send a message of support to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s many victims worldwide that we will promote accountability for those who spread terror and violence. The United States will continue to pressure Iran to treat its own people with dignity and respect. Iran conducts assassinations and terrorism abroad to spread its reign of terror well beyond its own borders. Today’s action includes visa restrictions on 13 officials involved in a brutal and intricately planned assassination carried out in Switzerland in 1990 as part of Iran’s ongoing worldwide terrorism campaign. These 13 assassins, who posed as Iranian diplomats, were acting under the highest orders of their government to silence opposition and show that no one is safe from the Iranian regime, no matter where they live. The United States will not stand for the Iranian regime silencing its critics through violence and terror.

And it is not only abroad where the Iranian regime uses fear and violence to control Iranian citizens. We are also publicly designating Hojatollah Khodaei Souri, who as director of Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, oversaw an institution synonymous with torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. Evin Prison has been used to oppress peaceful Iranian protestors and journalists, as well as foreigners who are swept up and imprisoned to be held hostage to squeeze concessions out of their home governments.

The United States looks forward to the day when the perpetrators of Iran’s innumerable human rights violations will face true justice and hopes that these measures offer some comfort and reassurance to the families and friends of those lost to the Iranian regime’s violence and oppression at home and abroad.

Source » ncr-iran

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