Tuesday, September 9, 2014
No: 41-2014
The Honourable John Baird, PC, MP
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON, Canada
K1A OG
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the Iran National council, I would like to thank you for your statement marking September 1stas a Day of Solidarity for the Prisoners of Iran. Iranians are deeply heartened by Canada’s continued support for human rights, freedom, and democracy in their homeland. We appreciate Canada’s global leadership in promoting human rights as a universal value, and recognizing Iranians’ strive for self-determination.
While the world’s attention is focused on negotiations to curb Iran’s nuclear program and to prevent the development of weapons of mass destruction, the theocratic regime in Teheran continues its policy of systemic human rights abuses at an alarming level. Over the past thirty-five years, the theocratic regime has been responsible for arbitrary arrests, imprisonments, rapes, tortures, assassination of dissidents, gender and religious discrimination, public executions, and other shameful human rights violations.
The theocratic regime’s duplicitous behaviour on the world stage and its continued human rights violations makes it an unworthy partner for dialogue. The Islamic regime in Teheran cannot be trusted to help with realizing a lasting peace in the region and beyond.
Founded in April 2013, the Iran National Council offers a political alternative to the Islamic regime, as it envisions a peaceful transition towards secular democracy in Iran through a process of civil disobedience, national reconciliation, and free, fair and transparent elections. We urge Canada’s moral support for this process and look forward to working with you to ensure the realization of our national aspirations.
Yours sincerely,
Reza Pahlavi
President of the Iran National Council for Free Elections
