Cross Party British MPs Support US Appeals Court Decision and Call on Secretary Clinton to Delist Iranian Dissidents Immediately

LONDON, June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

On June 1, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its ruling regarding the petition by the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) for a writ of mandamus to enforce the court's mandate of July 2010. The ruling on the grounds of 'foreign policy' concerns gives the Secretary of State 4 months to make a decision, and 'if she fails to take action within that period, the petition for a writ of mandamus setting aside the FTO designation will be granted'.

The ruling criticised the State Department for failing to act on an earlier court ruling for over 20 months, and indicates that 'the Secretary's delay in acting on PMOI's petition for revocation is egregious'.

As Mrs Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran stated, the ruling 'was a triumph of justice over machination and appeasement, which brings an end to the 15-year unjust terrorist label against the Iranian people's legitimate Resistance movement'.

The judgment once again demonstrated that maintaining the terrorist designation on the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) is absolutely illegitimate and unlawful, and is guided by ulterior political motives.  There remains no justification for any further delay and we call on Secretary Clinton to immediately remove the unjust label that was called 'perverse' by the Court of Appeal in the United Kingdom.

This unlawful label has caused much pain and suffering for the brave residents of Camp Ashraf. We are well aware that the Iraqi government justified two brutal attacks on Camp Ashraf in July 2009 and April 2011 - leading to 47 deaths and hundreds of injuries - on the basis of this label. We call on Iraq to take serious note of this judgment. Further attempts that put the lives and livelihood of the residents of Ashraf and Liberty in danger will clearly amount to criminal acts punishable in international courts.

In addition, the illegal label has given Iran an excuse to execute members and supporters of Iran's democratic opposition and family members of Ashraf residents. Hundreds of such executions have taken place since the June 2009 uprising.

Mrs Rajavi said that over the past 15 years, this illegitimate label has acted as the greatest factor in preserving the rule of the murderous mullah regime in Iran, while causing two massacres at Camp Ashraf as well as the imprisonment and execution of many members and supporters of the PMOI and the Iranian Resistance inside Iran.

It was also the source of unjust restrictions imposed on Iranians in the United States. The label continues to be a lever in the hands of the Iranian regime and the Iraqi government to suppress the residents of Camps Ashraf and Liberty.

We also congratulate Mrs Maryam Rajavi for her tireless efforts and leadership in directing the international legal and parliamentary campaign to this point.  We also concur with her observation that opposing the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran and its nuclear weapons program would be futile and insignificant as long as the regime's legitimate and powerful opposition remains enchained.  

This wrong-headed policy should come to an end and the time has come for all democratic countries to recognise Iran's democratic opposition under her leadership as the viable alternative to the Iranian regime.

The British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom

4 June 2012