The Rt. Hon. Baroness Verma, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development
My dear friends, Mrs. Rajavi, honorable and right honorable colleagues, people of Iran, ladies and gentlemen, you can see there is truly a democratic alternative that has a plan as well as popular international support to provide the people of Iran with a viable roadmap to establish a free and democratic, and secular republic, which will bring Iran out of the dark to find its rightful place amongst the free nations of the world. And it is no coincidence that it is led by a person that epitomizes leadership through her being a female who was also taking on board all of the problems and the concerns of all the people of Iran. I have supported and will continue to support my dear friend under her leadership to the NCRA as president elect, madam Rajavi has reflected active leadership for the women of Iran’s most organized opposition, the PMOI and the women’s presence at the forefront of anti-regime protests across the country, that this protest movement is alive well and strong, as seen as the majority of the Iranian people, also the core by the NCRI, Madame Rajavi, the president elect to boycott the regime’s sham president’s presidential election. The regime’s response is, as in the past, to pave the way to intensify the domestic crackdown by closing ranks amongst officials.
The future of Iran is determined by its people and they have risen under the leadership of women to secure a free and democratic Iran. The UK and the West, and the rest of the world should stand by you recognizing and backing the popular struggle for democratic change in Iran led by NCRI. And Madame Rajavi, let me pledge along with my colleagues that in the British Parliament, across all parties, we will do everything in our power to ensure that we take Ebrahim Raisi to court and make him pay for the crimes against humanity. There are enough of us that have made history when we challenged the unfounded terror tag in the peel AC and the High Court, we demolished all allegations against the PMOI. And there is the same result across many, many UK parliamentarians to bring the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre to justice, in particular, Madame Rajavi, Raisi, and all of those that are supporting him. It is time for the British public and the British Parliament to stand and make their voices heard loudly and clearly in your support. We are with you and we remain with you. And we will be your friends until Iran is free.