Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI)
His Excellency Mr. Tony Blair The British Prime Minister 10 Downing Street London SW1 - United Kingdom
By Fax +44/207/925-0918
February 4, 2003
Sir,
We understand you are to grant an audience to the Foreign Minister of the theocratic Islamic Republic at your home.
If you recall, we wrote you back in January of 2000, at the occasion of his visit to the UK, warning you about
persistent deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, and the links of his regime with terrorist and fundamentalist
networks that are jeopardizing the World's peace, or worse, your own country's security by taking the lives of British
policemen. Three years later, nothing has really changed and the situation has gotten worse in most cases, such as the
execution of freedom fighters under the guise of fighting narcotics trafficking.
Pro IRI lobbyists and their friends, such as your Foreign Minister, might argue that such high-profile meetings can be
positive points for your government. As they will not only foster better relations with Iran and the United Kingdom, and
through her, the European Union, but will also open the door to fruitful investments and cheap oil. These opportunists,
who are forgetting the real aspirations of over 70 million of repressed and deprived Iranians, might continue to argue
that the Islamic regime's so-called "reformists" are intending to respect the Human Rights. However, as the impartial
World has witnessed, thousands of Iranians have been repressed at the occasion of each protest action with their tactics
or explicit approbations.
Executions; torture; public hangings, stoning, flogging; abuse of children; child marriages; polygamy; domestic abuse;
abuse of women; diseases; hunger; 700,000 imprisoned; Crime and drug abuse soaring; prostitution rings abound; 200,000
homeless children wandering the streets and people reduced to selling their body parts, for organ transplantation, to
feed their families; official inflation rate nearing 20% and official unemployment around 30%; debt in the billions;
unpaid teachers and workers; complete deterioration of the standard of living; petroleum industry in ruins; brain drain
and pervasive corruption are just few of the results of 25 years of theocracy in our country. A theocracy that is
getting support and funds from governments, such as yours and your allies each time it faces jeopardy.
Sir,
We find the need to point out again, that the policies towards Iran carried by your country and its European allies have
only helped to worsen the situation for the Iranian public by making the clerical regime believe that they are gaining
the benefit of International support or complacency in its genocidal activities against our people. The clerics have
become masters in the art of bribery and the "good cop, bad cop" game when it comes to their relations with your country
and its allies.
It is necessary to point out that current policies such as yours, are naturally leading to negative reactions among
Iranians. Including an increase of unpopularity and rejection of most British and European symbols, and the creation of
darker perspectives for the future. A future based on frustration and wrath that the EU countries will have a hard time
affording when faced with the threat of losing any future opportunities with our people.
We believe that the time is passing quickly for the EU countries to adopt a human policy adopted in respect of the
People of Iran. A great example would be to follow the path of the pragmatic and decent US policy of expressing publicly
support of the Iranians who are struggling for Freedom and an elected secular system of government, and the pressure
exercised by the Bush Administration on the illegitimate Islamic regime. These are policies that your country knows how
to exercise when coming in line with its interests, such as in the case of Zimbabwe.
Respectfully,
On behalf of SMCCDI,
Aryo B. Pirouznia (for the Committee)