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Maryam Rajavi, Iranian political activist, born in 1953 in Tehran, Iran. Wife of Masoud Rajavi and currently President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an umbrella coalition of which the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (PMOI) are a member organisation. Information about member organizations can be found at the website www.iranncrfac.org .

Maryam Rajavi's Website

Biography

Maryam Rajavi was born in 1953 to a middle class family in Tehran. She has a degree in metallurgy from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran.

Rajavi began her activities during the anti-shah movement in early 1970s, as one of the leaders of the student movement while studying at the University.

The Shah's regime executed one of her sisters, Narges, and the Khomeini regime murdered another, Massoumeh, who died under torture in 1982 while eight months pregnant. Massoumeh's husband, Massoud Izadkhah, was also executed.

After the 1979 Revolution, Rajavi became a leading figure in the Social Section of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), and played an important role in recruiting university and high school students into the ranks of the movement. At the time, the PMOI quickly emerged as the principal opposition movement to the clerical regime. In 1980, Rajavi was among candidates for the parliamentary elections in Tehran and received more than a quarter million votes, despite widespread vote fraud by the government.

Mrs. Rajavi was involved in organizing peaceful demonstrations in Tehran in April and June 1981 in protest against the government's increasingly repressive policies. When half-a-million Mojahedin supporters marched peacefully in Tehran on June 20, 1981, to demand respect for freedoms, Khomeini unleashed his reign of terror. Hundreds were killed or wounded and thousands arrested on that day.

In 1982, Rajavi left Iran for France. In Paris, she quickly emerged as the most capable and qualified woman in the movement and was eventually elected as the PMOI's Joint-Leader in 1985. Four years later, during a plenary session of the PMOI's Congress in 1989, Rajavi was elected as the Organization's Secretary General.

President-elect

In August 1993, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the Iranian Resistance's parliament, elected Maryam Rajavi as Iran's future president for the transitional period following the mullahs' overthrow.

Rajavi subsequently resigned from her other positions to focus on her new responsibility as the President-elect.

In this capacity, Rajavi directed the Resistance's campaign on the international scene, leading a worldwide effort to expose human rights violations in Iran, Tehran's export of terrorism and fundamentalism and its bid to acquire nuclear weapons. She also worked to inform the world community about the objectives of the Iranian Resistance on a variety of issues.

As a Muslim woman, Rajavi presented a formidable political, social, cultural and ideological challenge in her new position as the President-elect to the misogynist mullahs who invoked God to justify their actions. In Maryam Rajavi, the fundamentalist mullahs saw a leader who represented everything they held in contempt.

Women's rights

Under Rajavi's guidance, women assumed the most senior positions of responsibility in political, international and military arenas within the ranks of the Resistance. Women make up half the members of the NCRI. A third of the Resistance's military arm, the National Liberation Army of Iran, and two-thirds of its commanders are women. The PMOI's Leadership Council is comprised entirely of women.

Rajavi's election gave Iran's oppressed society, especially women, new hopes for a better future. Equally profound and inspiring was the impact of her election on Iranians living abroad. Iranians across the political spectrum rallied to her support and she became a true symbol of national unity against the religious tyranny in Iran. Many delegations from the four-million-strong Iranian exile community, among them Iranian professionals, academics and artists, came to meet her.

Rajavi has given extensive lectures on the modern, democratic version of Islam versus the reactionary, fundamentalist interpretation of the religion. For her, the most prominent distinction between these two diametrically opposed viewpoints is the issue of women.

She also paid special attention to Iran's rich, but endangered, artistic and cultural heritage. Many famous performers, filmmakers, artists, painters, sculptors, poets and writers expressed their support for her platform for a free and secular Iran.

An international conference entitled, "United against Fundamentalism and for Equality," was held in Paris on Feb. 26, 2005 on the initiative of several women's rights organisations to discuss the threat posed by fundamentalists to women's rights and status. Maryam Rajavi and over 1,000 political and human rights personalities and equality movement activists from Europe, the United States and the Middle East attended the conference. The event was sponsored by a number of organisations and personalities, including Ballymaurphy Women Center, Women's Trust, UNIFEM, National Association of Women's Organisations UK, European Network of Women, Collective Respect, Union of European Feminists, Women in Movement, Feminist Transports, Association in Solidarity with Kidnapped Mothers and Children, The Movement for Peace, The International League of Women for Peace and Liberty (the French section), Women for a New Europe, and the Association of Friends of Women Buses. Seven female British parliamentarians, including Lady Herman, Chris McCafferty, Jane Griffiths, Julia Drown, Baroness Gould of Potternewton, Sandra Gildley and Valery Davey, were among the sponsors.

The keynote speaker was Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, who said, "The Tehran mullahs and those with stakes in the status quo want us to believe that any serious change requires a foreign war, and the only alternative to war is to make a deal with the mullahs. But the Iranian Resistance believes that in place of 'appeasement or war', there is a third option, which represents the real path to change: change brought about by the Iranian people and Resistance".

Rajavi reiterated, "The decisive defeat of Islamic fundamentalist would be possible only through the pioneering role of women. For this reason, we underscore the need for the active and equal participation of women in political leadership".

Emphasising that women's rights are universal, Rajavi noted, "No one could use religious or cultural pretext or any other justification to distort women's rights, which are as universal as human rights, and deny their totality".

She added, "Since the onset of their rule, the mullahs have not spared any discrimination and oppression against women. On the contrary, they have strengthened misogynous laws every year. Indeed, the pillar of all social relationships and the laws of the state is oppression and discrimination against women".

Charting the future

In a speech to 15,000 Iranians in Dortmund on June 16, 1995, Rajavi presented a 16-point "Charter of Fundamental Freedoms" for the post-mullah Iran. In the speech, Rajavi said that the love of freedom was the driving force of the Resistance movement. Without it, she said, "we could not have stood firm against the ruling dictatorship. Our nation has paid the price of freedom with 100,000 martyrs." Mrs. Rajavi also presented the platform of the Resistance for the future of Iran, emphasizing its commitment to the freedom of speech, opinion, the press, parties and political associations, as well as free elections. She emphasized that elections would serve as the sole basis in determining the legitimacy of government.

Rajavi also rejected the Iranian mullahs' manipulation of Islam. "Let there be no doubt," she said, "that the peddlers of religion who rule Iran in the name of Islam, but shed blood, suppress the people and advocate export of fundamentalism and terrorism, are themselves the worst enemies of Islam and Muslims. The day will come when they will be forced to let go of the name of Islam."

In the past decade, Rajavi has been invited by parliamentarians in different European countries. She visited Great Britain, Norway and the European Parliament, where she addressed groups of parliament deputies and met many political dignitaries to discuss her views on Islam and the future of Iran.

Rajavi has a 22-year-old daughter named Ashraf.

In December 2004, Rajavi was the guest of honour at the European Parliament at the invitation of the First vice-President of the parliament. There she addressed Members of the European Parliament about the current crisis in Iran and the way to deal with the Iran issue. Rajavi said that she believes that a foreign war was not the correct option yet at the same time she denounced Western appeasement of the mullahs' regime. Instead she offered a "third option", namely democratic change through the Iranian people and their Resistance.

Rajavi has been both the target of Iranian terrorism and assassination, (her residence north of Paris had been the target of Iranian Intelligence Ministry's (VEVAK) agents. German police arrested a number of VEVAK agents attempting to transport mortar rounds to there. VEVAK has also launched a demonization campaign against the Iranian opposition as a whole and Rajavi in particular. Information about this campaign has been made public by Iranian exiles at www.iranterror.com

On second anniversary of June 17 raid, 20,000 declare support for Maryam Rajavi Saturday, 18 June 2005

Participants say presidential election boycott reflected illegitimacy of regime Rajavi: Winners do not represent the Iranian people; they are Iran's worst enemies

Yesterday afternoon, 20,000 Iranians and French citizens attended a gathering at Cergy soccer Stadium, north of Paris, on the anniversary of the disgraceful raid on the office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran and the arrest of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the Iranian Resistance's President-elect.

The participants called for the removal restrictions against the Iranian Resistance and the closing of the file in this case. They also declared that the nationwide boycott of the mullahs' sham election reflected that the regime in its entirety was illegitimate and that indicated the desire of the Iranian people for the overthrow of the ruling theocracy.

Dozens of parliamentarians from France and other countries, as well as representatives from scores of human rights organizations attended and addressed the rally, that was sponsored by 30 French human rights and non-governmental organizations

As the keynote speaker, Mrs. Rajavi congratulated the Iranian people for the decisive and nationwide boycott of the elections. She said, "This boycott is a milestone on the road to achieving democracy and freedom. The composition of the candidates exposed the clerical regime's all-out deadlock. The Supreme Leader failed to unipolarize the regime as both factions suffered from unprecedented schisms."

Pointing to the background of the candidates that amounted to nothing but murder, terror and plunder, she added, "Those who would assume power as a result of this election do not represent the Iranian people. They are Iran's worst enemies. Thus, appeasing this regime would be tantamount to blatantly participating in the suppression of the Iranian people and paving the way for greater export of terrorism and fundamentalism."

Mrs. Rajavi then asked those who planned the June 17 raid, "Did you hear the resounding ‘no' by the Iranian people to the clerical regime."

In another part of her speech, she said, "Now that two years after June 17, the terrorism allegation has been discredited, instead of acknowledging the truth, those involved in this case are raising bogus financial allegations."

"Keeping this file open is a lever to restrict the legitimate and lawful activities of the National Council of Resistance of Iran and a lever to continue the deals with bloody fundamentalists. None of it has any legal and material justification. Indeed, we are facing new methods to suppress the Resistance movement," she said.

The Iranian Resistance's President-elect noted, "The clerical regime is facing the explosive discontent of society. However, it is neither interested nor capable of change or reform because that would lead to its overthrow."

Outlining the Resistance's platform, Mrs. Rajavi added, "The Iranian Resistance is committed to all the rights and freedoms stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international covenants. In Iran free of the mullahs' oppression, we advocate and are committed to end capital punishment and annul all forms of barbaric punishments."

Danielle Mitterrand, former French First Lady, Alejo Vidal Quadras, First Vice-President of the European Parliament, MEPs Struan Stevenson and Paulo Casaca Bernard Stasi, former French minister, Senators Key Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX), James Talent (R-MO), Representatives Bob Filber (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Diana Degette (D-CO), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Al Green (D-TX), Ted Poe (R-TX) and John Boozman (R-AR), Lords Corbett, Alton, Clarke and MPs David Amess and Jonathan Shaw fro Britain as well as parliamentarians from other European countries sent video or written messages to the rally.

Dominique Lefevbre, Mayor of Cergy Pontoise, Jean-Pierre Bequet, Mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise, Maurice Boscavert, Mayor of Taverny, Jean - Claude Wanner, Mayor of de Boisemont and the mayors of several other cities in Val d'Oise province attended and addressed the rally.

The renowned French lawyer Henri Leclerc, Alan Vivien, former European Minister and former President of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Cults, Senator Isabelle Debré, Mouloud Aounit, Secretary General of the French anti-racist movement MRAP, Pierre Bercis, President of the New Human Rights, Sid Ahmed Ghozali, former Algerian Prime Minister, Lords Russell Johnston and King, British MPs Andrew MacKinlay, and Dr. Rudi Vis, Dr. Abdullah Rasheed Al-Jabouri, former Governor of Iraq's Diyala Province, and Paul Forseth, member of the Canadian Parliament, Norwegian MP Lars Rise and Belgian MP Jean Pierre Malmendier addressed the rally.

The family of martyrs joined Mrs. Rajavi in laying wreath at the martyrs' memorial. Delegations of Iranian athletes and national champions also attended and addressed the rally.

Maryam Rajavi's editorial published in IHT: Her strategy

Excerpts below

In an article called "Empower Iran's opposition forces", published in the International Herald Tribune (Jan 28, 2005), Maryam Rajavi wrote,"How should the world deal with the challenges posed by the Iranian regime, with its continuing support for terrorism, increasing meddling in Iraq and relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons? Approaches under debate range from engagement, with the hope of empowering the "moderates," to military invasion. But the best option is to initiate change through the Iranian people and the organized resistance movement.

There is no need for war; no one would want to see an Iraq II played out in Iran. But engagement, which has shaped policy toward Iran on both sides of the Atlantic for two decades, has been a disaster, strengthening the most radical factions of the ruling theocracy.

The failure to isolate a religious dictatorship bent on spreading its fiery brand of Islamic fundamentalism and acquiring nuclear weapons has led to the current stalemate. Now Tehran's missiles, capable of bearing weapons of mass destruction, can reach eastern and southern Europe.

The engagement policy failed even to keep President Mohammad Khatami and his camp, dubbed as moderate in the West, viable. Today, the most extreme faction dominates the political establishment, and the Revolutionary Guards control most levers of power, including the Parliament.

But there is another answer: democracy.

As a first step in that direction, Western governments must not assist the ruling theocracy. And that means removing the terrorist tag that has been put on the People's Mujahedeen Organization. The group is the pivotal force in the largest Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance, which has revealed Tehran's nuclear, missile and terrorist plans.

In 1997, the U.S. State Department placed the People's Mujahedeen on the list of foreign terrorist organizations as a goodwill gesture to Khatami, who was Iran's new president. But after a 16-month investigation in Iraq, where the group has had a presence on the Iranian frontier for 18 years, the United States determined that its members were "protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention" and that there was no basis to charge any of them.

Over the years, many U.S. Congressmen and their counterparts in Europe, citing the group's widespread popular and religious roots in Iran, have described the People's Mujahedeen as a legitimate resistance movement and the antithesis to Islamic fundamentalism, stressing that it should be removed from the terror list. In November, the International Conference of Jurists, a convention of 500 human-rights lawyers in Paris, declared that blacklisting the organization was a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, the fundamental right to defense and the presumption of innocence.

The Iranian resistance is committed to holding free and fair elections within six months of regime change, to electing a constituent assembly and handing over affairs to the people's elected representatives. It seeks a peaceful Iran without weapons of mass destruction, on good terms with its neighbors and dedicated to friendship with the world community."

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