Senior US, European Policy Makers Discuss Fresh Approach to Tehran, Urge US to Delist Main Iran Opposition Group

BRUSSELS, January 27, 2011 - In an international conference on Iran Tuesday, a bipartisan group of
senior former US government officials and prominent members of the European
Parliament urged the United States to undertake a fresh approach to the
Tehran regime.

The center piece of that policy should be the removal of the principal
Iranian opposition movement, the People's Mojahedin (PMOI/MEK) from the list
of terrorist groups in the United States, the speakers said, adding that
urgent action was needed to protect the residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq.

Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the opposition National Council of
Resistance of Iran, was joined by General James Jones, former National
Security Advisor to President Obama; Bill Richardson, former New Mexico
governor and US ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton;
Michael Mukasey, former Attorney General; John Bolton, former US ambassador
to the UN; and Amb. Dell Dailey, State Department's Counterterrorism
Coordinator until April 2009.

European Parliament Vice President Alejo Vidal Quadras led an EP
delegation, including Scottish and Czech MEPs Struan Stevenson and Jan
Zahradil. Belgian Senator Dirk Claes, Irene Khan, former Amnesty
International Secretary General, Prof. Ruth Wedgwood of Johns Hopkins
University in Washington, DC and international lawyer Juan Garces also
addressed the conference, organized by the International Committee In Search
of Justice (ISJ) and the Belgian Parliamentary Committee for Democratic Iran.

"The Iranian people are not alone in suffering . The legitimate concern
for all people in Camp Ashraf, in the Iraqi pledges to the United States for
the safety and security, needs to be recognized and revitalized…," Gen.
Jones noted.

Governor Richardson added, "It does make sense to delist the PMOI/MEK as
a terrorist organization. There is no terrorist link, there is no capability,
no intent… America needs to follow the lead of the European Union and the
European Parliament."

"Religious dictatorship in Iran must end. This could be achieved neither
with war nor through appeasement. The solution is the third option:
democratic change by the Iranian people and the Resistance," Mrs. Rajavi
emphasized.

Mr. Mukasey added, "It is important that the designation be removed,
before Iran and those acting on its behalf can wear down the residents of
Ashraf and force them to leave, or impose even worse fate on them."

While highlighting the central role the main Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK
will have to play in any future policy towards Iran, Amb. Bolton underscored
"The policy of the United States must unequivocally be the overthrow of the
regime in Tehran,",

Amb. Daily emphasized, "The conditions have changed significantly in
Ashraf and the Middle East to clearly justify the revocation of PMOI's
terrorist designation… The PMOI is a powerful counterbalance to Iran
regime."

In part of his remarks, Dr. Vidal Quadras said, "Appeasement only
provides the regime with time to continue its spread of terrorism across the
world and come closer to a nuclear weapon. There exists a well-organized,
powerful and committed opposition movement inside the country. Two immediate
and urgent priorities emerge. The first is to protect Ashraf residents and
the second is to remove the PMOI from US blacklist."

"The real hope of tens of millions of Iranians is the PMOI. We must
confront the mullahs before they gain hegemony in the Middle East. And it
doesn't mean armed invasion, it means taking the PMOI off the US terror list
and it means providing protection for the brave residents of Camp Ashraf,"
added Scottish MEP, Struan Stevenson.

International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ), Contact: Abbe Rezvi, Phone: +32-483077239, Email: isjcommittee at gmail.com