Egypt wise to freeze relations with Tehran: Maryam Rajavi

CAIRO – 28 April 2018: After the latest Iranian protests that broke out in December 2017, and continued for several months during 2018, it became obvious that Tehran’s mullah-led regime is facing serious troubles that need to be reconsidered. The Iranian authorities, however, accused several powers of standing behind these protests, including the Iranian resistance and its leader, Maryam Rajavi.

“Egypt was right and wise by deciding to freeze all diplomatic relations with Iran’s mullah regime. The decision protected the whole Middle East region’s interests,” Rajavi said in an interview with Egypt Today.

Rajavi, a prominent leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran political resistance movement, explained in her statements the reasons that led to the outbreak of protests against the regime. She said that the protests were the natural result of Iranians’ growing public rage for several reasons.

“The country was suffering from a high unemployment rate, which is currently up to 40 percent. About 20 million people live in urban slums, one-third of the Iranians are suffering from the lack of food and water,” Rajavi said, adding that all of these crises came along with the political suppression that banned anyone from expressing their opinions.

From Rajavi’s point of view, the People's Mujahedin of Iran played a crucial role in the Iranian protests that even the current regime could not deny.

However, accusations that the People's Mujahedin of Iran is backed by other governments or courtiers was vehemently denounced by Rajavi.

Restoring and maintaining good relations with the rest of the Arab world is going to be one of the major targets for the Iranian resistance, in case they succeed in toppling the current extremist regime, according to Rajavi’s statements.

“The dictatorship of Iran’s current mullah regime destroyed several countries and is still trying to topple others, including Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. If the current regime doesn’t stop, they will destroy the rest of the Arab and African countries,” Rajavi said, explaining that Iran will drag all governments into war.

According to the Iranian resistance leader, who is currently based in France, the people of Iran recognized that “exporting terrorism and war” was part of the Iranian regime’s plan to ensure their survival in power.

“Supporting the continuation of these wars demanded the Iranian leaders to support it financially with a huge part of the country’s income; at the same time they were suffering from famine,” Rajavi told Egypt Today, affirming that this was one of the reasons that led to the demonstrations.

According to Rajavi, the high military cost of backing wars in other countries upset the people, who were already suffering from the lack of everything they need.

In December 2017, many Iranians demonstrated against Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the current regime, due to several political and social reasons. The demonstrations, which took place in various cities throughout the country, demanded the toppling of the regime, however the authorities succeeded in maintaining control.

In her statements to Egypt Today, Rajavi expected that the demonstrations could rise again and continue in the country at any moment, as Iranian society still has many strong reasons to continue its protests.