In a cross-party initiative, 180 representatives of the Bundestag and 350 members of the German state assemblies signed a joint statement supporting the Iranian people’s uprising and their demand to reject any type of dictatorship, including the deposed shah and the ruling theocracy, in favor of a secular and democratic republic. These representatives also supported Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan for the transition period.
The statement condemned “the Iranian regime’s meddling in the Middle East and Europe, including terrorist acts” and stated that the signatories “urge the international community to stand with the Iranian people in their quest for change and to take decisive steps against the current regime. This includes blacklisting the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and holding regime officials accountable for their crimes against humanity.”
Six federal ministers and deputy ministers, three former federal ministers, three former deputy federal ministers, heads of four commissions and eleven deputy commissions of the Federal Parliament, the secretary general of the ruling Social Democratic Party, and the head of the parliamentary group of the Left Party are among the signatories of this statement.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi is the elected president of the National Council of Resistance of Iran for the period of transfer of sovereignty to the people of Iran. The NCRI is a coalition of opposition democratic forces.
Carsten Müller, a member of Bundestag, described the West’s policy vis-a-vis Iran as a failure. He said ” After the uprisings, the clerical regime continues to brutally suppress the people. Our support for Iran’s resistance has increased. But it is not sufficient and should increase. Fifteen months after the start of the nationwide uprising, the regime is executing daily.” He emphasized that many German politicians have been misled into the belief that there are reformists inside the Iranian regime, by so-called Iran experts who are being led by the regime.
The representative from the Christian Democratic Party said, “The ten-point plan of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi is the basis of a democratic Iran that commits to gender equality, a non-nuclear Iran, and abolishment of the death penalty and that is admirable.”
Katja Adler, Liberal Party member of the Bundestag, said, “It is very important for me to support the resistance for freedom and democracy in Iran. The regime should be on the terror list. The interference of the regime in the region is very worrying.”
Rita Süssmuth, former Speaker of the German Parliament, highlighted Maryam Rajavi’s struggle for gender equality, saying: “To build a better future, we must be sensitive to human rights, and Mrs. Rajavi revived a new culture for the others as well. While supporting the resistance, I was blamed many times for my support which was viewed as ‘nonsense.’ But today we can see that our work has yielded results. Solidarity can only be obtained by being united.”
The statement which was also signed by 350 representatives from all sixteen states of Germany, also stated: “We encourage you to stand in solidarity with the people of Iran in their desire for a secular and democratic republic where no individual, regardless of religion or birthright, has any privilege over others. Through their slogans, the Iranian people have made it clear that they reject all forms of dictatorship, be it that of the deposed Shah or the current theocratic regime, and thus reject any association with either.”
The parliamentarians, who included a large number of state ministers, heads of parliamentary groups, and deputies of these parliaments from different factions, said in their joint statement, “We believe it is for the Iranian people to decide their future. However, we recognize that for four decades, the democratic coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has constantly and tirelessly pursued democratic change. In this respect, we believe the Ten-Point Plan articulated by the NCRI President, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, deserves support. Its commitment to free elections, freedom of assembly and expression, abolition of the death penalty, gender equality, separation of religion and state, autonomy for Iran’s ethnicities, and a non-nuclear Iran is in line with our own democratic values.”
More than 3,600 parliamentarians of different countries, including majorities in the French and Italian parliaments, have expressed their support for the will of the Iranian people and democratic resistance by signing similar statements in recent months. Some 125 former world leaders, including many former European presidents and prime ministers, signed a statement in recent months supporting Mrs. Rajavi’s 10-point program and the Iranian people’s desire to reject the Shah’s dictatorship and the ruling theocracy.