Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani urged the US Government and the international community to impose further sanctions on the Iranian Regime and to stand with the Iranian people who are crying out for freedom and democracy in Iran.

Giuliani made these comments at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, DC on Thursday, March 1, entitled “Iran Uprising: Call for Regime Change, U.S. Policy Options”. It was the fourth in a series of forums on Iran policy sponsored by the Organization of Iranian-American Communities (OIAC-US).

Giuliani also took the opportunity to praise the Iranian people for their popular anti-regime uprising and to praise the US administration for backing the protesters.

He said: “I am very, very glad that at the very outset back in December … President’s public support of anti-regime protesters, which riveted 142 cities in Iran, really basically changed American foreign policy. The uprisings [in Iran] were obviously not sporadic. They were very well organized… in every major city in Iran … and then continuing on to today.”

When asked to comment on the Iranian people’s slogans and chants of “reformers, hardliners—the game is now over” Giuliani replied that there are no moderates or reformers within the Iranian Regime.

He said: “The whole notion of reformers inside Iran… those are the people you see on the street. They’re not sitting in government offices.”

Giuliani also praised Iran’s organized opposition for its democratic positions and leadership and its commitment to a Free Iran despite being heavily persecuted by the Regime.

He said: “The MEK [Mujahedin-e Khalq organization] is a significant movement in Iran…. There is no organization as comprehensive as the MEK or with the both internal and … foreign support… It should be clear at the outset that the MEK is not interested in dominating alone the politics in Iran…. it’s always been an organization seeking democracy, freedom, rights for women, rights for everyone, and a nonnuclear, peaceful Iran.”

Giuliani also spoke about his hopes for a post-theocracy Iran, dismissing concerns that Iran would be a political vacuum, and advocating the leadership of Maryam Rajavi, who has been President-elect of the Iranian Resistance for 25 years now.

He said, “We have a great alternative in Madame Rajavi… We have a woman who’s proven herself, we have a woman that beyond anyone is popular inside Iran… extraordinarily popular … She’s in favour of freedom, economic democracy, the rights of women.”

Giuliani also urged the US to ensure that the Iranian people have “open access to the Internet without interference,” and called for added sanctions, particularly on the Regime’s access to banking.

Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs during the Bush Administration, moderated the event.

Source » ncr-iran