California Society for Democracy in Iran, House Members reject myth of Rouhani’s moderation, call for tougher sanctions, urge US to ensure safety and security of Iranian dissidents in Iraq and their return to Ashraf
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California Society for Democracy in Iran
Aug 19, 2013, 02:19 ET
ANAHEIM Calif., August 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Hundreds of Iranian Americans in California attended a convention at the Anaheim Convention Center sponsored by California Society for Democracy in Iran, where several former senior US Government ofcials and sitting members of congress spoke. Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chair, Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats Subcommittee; and Judy Chu (D-CA),House Judiciary Committee member; Michael Mukasey, 81 U.S. Attorney General; James Glassman,former Undersecretary of State for Public Policy and Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (1995 – 2011); and Col. Wesley Martin, Chief Protection, Anti-terrorism Ofcer, Coalition Forces, Iraq, addressed the Convention.
In a Congressional Certicate to the Convention’s President, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, voiced support for a democratic, secular, non-nuclear republic in Iran.
The participants underlined that the Iranian regime’s new President Hassan Rouhani has been a senior military and security ofcial in the past 34 years and rejected international calls to halt uranium enrichment. The participants called for tougher sanctions on Tehran, underscoring that the only solution for the Iran crisis is a regime change by Iranian people and the organized resistance. They expressed support for the 10-point plan articulated by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the Iranian resistance’s President-elect.
The event coincided with the 25 anniversary of the massacre of 30,000 prisoners of conscience in Iran in 1988. Rouhani’s Justice Minister was a member of the “death commission,” which sent 30,000 victims to the gallows.
The convention urged the Obama administration to uphold the US commitment to safety and security of thousands of Iranian dissidents at Liberty, members of the principal Iranian opposition movement the Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK), through returning them to Ashraf, their home of 26 years. ”
I have been very deeply touched by the struggles in support of camps Ashraf and Liberty and by the Iranian people against this horrible, antihuman regime that now occupies Iran. Your presence and the people of camps Ashraf and Liberty are a bother to the mullahs because your existence is a threat to that regime,” underscored Rep. Rohrabacher.
The California Democrat, Rep. Chu added, “We must relocate the residents of Camp Liberty outside Iraq or back to Camp Ashraf where they can finally be safe… Residents deserve helmets and protection vests, protection from rockets and bullets, like the T-Wall that were mysteriously removed.” Referring to Liberty residents’ perilous situation, Attorney General Michael Mukasey warned, “The residents of Camp Liberty are in a desperate. Needed protective T-walls have been removed. They live in imsy shelters and already have been the target of three attacks by people acting with the cooperation of the Maliki government. If any further harm befalls Liberty residents, that blood will be on the hands of those fail to act.”
Undersecretary Glassman added, “I want reiterate Rouhani’s background as Khamenei’s representative on the Supreme and National Security Council that is hardly moderate. Four days ago he reiterated support for the nuclear program. He’s bragged about deceiving the west so that nuclear development can proceed.”
In a video message, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Terrorism, Non-proliferation and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member, said, “[Rouhani] has appointed to his Cabinet a number of former ofcials with horrendous human rights record. To think that [Mostafa] Pourmohammadi would become justice minister, the word justice is a contradiction to his name.”
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, and Tom McClintock (R-CA) also sent written messages, rejecting that Rouhani was moderate and applauding the efforts of Iranian Americans.
SOURCE California Society for Democracy in Iran
Members of Congress, luminaries, foreign affairs & national security experts, human rights activists and Iran experts joined hundreds of Iranian-Americans in the Anaheim Convention Center to discuss Iran’s nuclear threat, rising human rights violations, its persecution of religious minorities, and the role of the Iranian opposition (Click to read LA Times introductory piece on the event). A moving photo exhibition commemorated victims of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran and served as a vivid reminder to all that Iran’s government, including its newest President Hassan Rowhani (Rouhani) are stakeholders in crimes against humanity.
Anaheim convention will address U.S. policy on Iran
By CARLA RIVERA, AUG. 17, 2013
Hundreds of Iranian Americans are expected to attend a convention in Anaheim on Saturday that will explore the current state of Iranian politics after the election of new president Hassan Rouhani.
Rouhani, 64, a cleric considered a moderate pragmatist, was elected in June in a landslide victory. He replaced outgoing two-term President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was barred from seeking a third term.
Convention delegates are expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear capabilities, human rights issues, religious persecution and the role of opposition groups.
Scheduled speakers include Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), former Rhode Island Democratic Congressman Patrick Kennedy and former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who was appointed by George W. Bush.
The convention is sponsored by the nonprofit California Society for Democracy in Iran.
“This is the first time Iranian-Americans are going to come out and speak about the new Rouhani administration and discuss U.S. policy towards Iran,” said spokesman Amir M. Emadi. “We are going to ask policymakers to have a stronger stance against Iran, to increase sanctions and to support the people of Iran who have shown the capacity to stand up to the regime but haven’t seen the support from the West.”
Emadi said the convention coincides with the 25th anniversary of the deaths of thousands of political prisoners throughout Iran in 1988. Opposition groups assert that members of Rouhani’s cabinet were directly involved in the deaths.
The convention is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-iran-convention-20130817-story.html
