Statement of the Iranian-American Communities on the Official Delisting of the Main Iranian Opposition, the MEK

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, 28 major Iranian-American organizations representing tens of thousands of members released a joint statement welcoming the official removal of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from the U.S. list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The move was hailed as just and long overdue.

"This action will liberate the largest peaceful, secular, pro-democratic Iranian dissident group from the constraints of U.S. sanctions law and it represents a significant step by the Obama Administration to promote a democratic and nuclear weapon-free Iran," the statement said.

"While the delisting decision is a major step forward in achieving these goals, significant work remains ahead.  Indeed, we look forward to working with the State Department, Members of Congress, and the United Nations to ensure the safety and security of the MEK members who are in Camp Liberty, Iraq," the statement added.

Ali Soudjani, of Iranian American Society of Texas and a prominent businessman in Houston, welcomed the decision which he described as "long overdue," arguing that the group never belonged on the list in the first place. "The removal of the MEK from the terrorist list," Soudjani said, "will unshackle the movement in its efforts to bring change to Iran, and will be viewed by the Iranian people as recognition of their pursuit of their democratic aspirations."

Allen Tasslimi of the Iranian-American community of New Jersey, who has lost a brother at the hands of the Iranian regime, said, "The ruling Ayatollahs are now on notice: the days of blackmail and intimidation are over, this is the era for democratic change."

Bahman Badiee, president of the Iranian American Society of Florida added, "The MEK never met Congress' own criteria for being on the list. Delisting should have occurred when the Persian Spring started in Iran in 2009; but it would, nevertheless, help revive another Persian Spring in Iran."

"This is a victory for all those who endeavored for so many years," said Kasra Nejat, the president of the Iranian American Cultural Association of Missouri. "Thousands of Iranian Americans and our many friends across the political spectrum have kept constant pressure on governments to help unchain the resistance for change in Iran.  More than 100,000 people turned out for a pro-MEK rally in Paris this year. We proved this is a mainstream movement for change."

Nasser Sharif, the president of California Society for Democracy in Iran, said, "The Iranian regime spent millions of dollars and used terrorism and intimidation to keep the MEK on the terrorist list. The regime has been the only beneficiary of this policy. Alas, good sense has prevailed."

Mr. Ross Amin of the Iranian American Community of Northern California said that "the delisting was in part due to the perseverance of Members of Congress and the courage shown by senior former U.S. officials. And most importantly, it demonstrated Secretary Clinton's sound judgment."

The Iranian-American communities staged a mass anti-Ahmadinejad rally across from the UN on Wednesday, 26 September 2012, coinciding with Ahmadinejad's speech at the UN General Assembly. No less than 10,000 Iranians participated in the rally, and expressed support for the MEK and its goals to unseat the clerical rulers of Iran and establish a secular, democratic, pluralistic, and non-nuclear Iran.

While all freedom loving Iranians rejoice about MEK's delisting, the regime in Iran and its notorious lobby groups in the United States have suffered a massive setback in their goals because the MEK is opposed to allowing the regime achieving nuclear weapons, spreading state sponsored terrorism, and further becoming a destabilizing force in the Middle East and beyond.

SOURCE Iranian-American Community of Northern California