Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi: Partnering with Tehran to fight ISIS impedes campaign against Islamic extremism

STRASBOURG, France, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the invitation of two major political groups: the European People's Party Group (EPP) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi warned: "The Iranian regime's participation in the anti-ISIS coalition is a hundred times more dangerous than any form of Islamic fundamentalism, under the cloak of Shiite or Sunni Islam." Tehran's involvement would "provide the regime the room to act and to go on the offensive and engulf other regional countries in death and devastation," she emphasized.

PACE has a total of 642 members from 47 member states. In general it meets for one week four times per year at the Palace of Europe in Strasbourg.

During her visit, Rajavi also met with several senior PACE officials to discuss the recent terrorist incidents in France and Belgium, which have raised concerns over Islamic fundamentalism and the threat it poses in Europe.

As early as 1993, Mrs. Rajavi's movement had warned the international community about the role of the Iranian regime as the epicenter of Islamic fundamentalism as the new global threat.

"The Paris incident showed that extremism is not just a problem for the Middle East, but also for Europe and the world over. This menace must be confronted. What happened in France, although committed by French nationals, was inspired and rooted in events outside French boarders in the Middle East, mainly Syria and Iraq," Rajavi noted in her remarks before the EPP.   

EPP group's Chairman Pedro Agramant pointed out: "I have to underscore that our support to you and your movement continues, particularly at this juncture."

While addressing the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group Rajavi said: "The world is shocked today by beheading and other crimes committed by ISIS. The Iranian people have suffered the same atrocities for 36 years but regrettably the world remained silent."

The ALDE group President Jordi Xucla said: "I personally support your movement and its endeavors to establish democracy and urge all the parliamentarians to support this movement and its effort in their national parliaments."

In assessing the role of Tehran exporting terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism Rajavi said: "In recent months, the expansion of ISIS has created great concern in the international community. But without the existence of a fundamentalist power, the intellectual and ideological breathing space for the emergence and expansion of such a group would not have existed." 

"Were it not for the ruthless suppression of the Sunnis in Iraq and Syria by the Iranian regime and its puppet government in Iraq, ISIS would have never emerged in that country. It was the actions of the Bashar Assad regime which indirectly paved the way for the formation and expansion of ISIS in Syria," she added.   

Rajavi strongly criticized the narrative which recognizes a role for Iran in combating ISIS.  "This would be tantamount to jumping from the frying pan into the fire," Rajavi said, adding, "it is a misguided notion that Sunnite fundamentalism is more dangerous than Shiite fundamentalism and one could fight the former with the help of the latter or to make any distinction between different brands of Islamic fundamentalism."

Rajavi emphasized that the eviction of the Iranian regime from Syria, the overthrow of the Assad regime, the eviction of the Iranian regime, the Qods Force and its Shiite militias from Iraq, and insisting on democratic and tolerant Islam against fundamentalist interpretations, whether Shiite or Sunni," were necessary elements of a successful strategy in confronting Islamic fundamentalism."

Rajavi criticized the West for showing weakness in its handling of the Iranian regime's pursuit of a nuclear weapon, noting, "some policymakers, though out of naivete, deliberately seek to accept the regime's interference in Iraq to encourage it in abandoning its nuclear weapons. But if the mullahs become more aggressive in Iraq, they will not abandon their quest for a nuclear bomb."

Rajavi was critical of Western policy in dealing with the Iranian regime. "Through these years, Western governments have sacrificed human rights, freedom, and the Iranian Resistance. This has been a catastrophic deviation from the struggle against terrorism and fundamentalism," she said.

"Without paying attention to the roots and origins of fundamentalism, namely the Iranian regime, any action will only lead to cutting off the metaphorical tree's branches or leaves, while leaving its roots and trunk intact," Rajavi said, adding that  the ultimate solution to defeat Islamic fundamentalism is to "overthrow the Iranian regime as the epicenter of fundamentalism and terrorism, [because] with the regime's downfall, al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hezbollah or Houthis will no longer present a serious threat to peace and democracy, will be deprived of power and influence, and will ultimately turn into isolated and inconsequential groups."

SOURCE Iran News Update