1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 the phone. And I'm Frederica, thank you for doing this with us. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:14,920 So we have, as you can maybe see the other guest here, is our engineers and they're gonna 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:21,400 just make sure everything looks and sounds good before we officially start. While we're 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:29,120 doing that, I will let you know that this conversation will be a little bit different 5 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:35,680 from your conversation with Stephen in that it's a little shorter. The questions are a 6 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:42,000 little more straightforward and kind of lets you get the conversation where you want to 7 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:50,520 go. But this is kind of like a short update. So just so you understand kind of what you'll 8 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:56,520 expect to see in a segment. Before you start, as I told you, I don't know if I talked to 9 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:03,600 you on the phone, right? So this Saturday is going to be a big demonstration in Paris 10 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:09,240 in support of Mariam Rajabe's 10-point plan with our opposition. It's more than 100,000 11 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:16,600 people are expected to join us. So I'm going there on Thursday, I'm flying there Thursday 12 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,320 to attend that a lot of people from our community feelable when I'm from Chicago, a lot of 13 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:26,320 people are also going. So just wanted to let you know if you wanted to cover any of 14 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:32,600 that. That would be quite an event. Yeah, it's huge. Yeah, I can actually send some pictures 15 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:38,360 and videos after I come back or even during that time because I'm going to stay there 16 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:45,600 for a comeback the Wednesday after because there are a lot of meetings that's going to 17 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:52,320 happen between the leaders of opposition and the people. Just to tell them what this 18 00:01:52,320 --> 00:02:01,480 status is. How long has this been planned? This was planned. This is a yearly event. 19 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:10,600 This is the memorandum of the political prisons that were executed in 1987, 30 more than 32,000 20 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:16,880 people, political prisons were executed in jail in Iran and every year this is happening. 21 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:24,360 It's been going on every year. So this is a yearly event. Okay. It just so happens to 22 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:35,520 kind of coincide with this latest. Yeah, it happened in 20th, around 20th June of this 23 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:41,080 year of, you know, in 1987. So every year, right around that time, they wanted to make 24 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:49,120 it a Saturday kind of. So it's day before or after something around that time. In 2018, 25 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:55,480 that event was in Bill Pant in Paris. And that's where the Iranian regime tried to bomb 26 00:02:55,480 --> 00:03:00,480 that. I mean, that was big news to bomb that event. It was an indoor event. More than 27 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:06,280 100,000 people were also there. There were 600 dignitaries from the United States, from, 28 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:15,320 you know, Secretary of State, from Mr. Pompe, not Mr. Pompeo, but Rudy Giuliani and a lot of 29 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,640 the senators and congressmen were there as well. So it was, you know, it's an international 30 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:25,120 event, basically, all the supporters of the Iranian resistance are there. So since then, 31 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:31,760 we haven't had indoor like that because of the fear of that kind of event. It's been outdoor 32 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:39,200 and mostly been, you know, in the street rallies in the streets. So amazing, really quick. I'm 33 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:53,680 going to ask Andrew and Andy, are you guys ready? I'm going to add it away. Okay. Well, thank you 34 00:03:53,760 --> 00:04:01,360 for that information about the Parisian giant event. It's super interesting. And as Marissa 35 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:12,240 said, particularly right now, you know, yes. But so I wanted to ask you about your take, 36 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:19,920 your opinion of this MOU that's been signed between the US and Iran. 37 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:29,440 Well, we don't know the details, much details. And as you know, it's been going back and for so 38 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:35,360 many times. So really don't know the detail. But what we have to realize is that this 39 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:43,120 cessation of hostilities, peace talks, whatever you want to call it, it's only possible with 40 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:50,480 freedom for the Iranian people. The nature of this regime has not changed whether what they're 41 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:59,200 doing is the result of basically military pressure. So they welcome war. They want war. They want 42 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:05,680 crisis. They want these kinds of things to suppress the internal aspirations of the Iranian people. 43 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:13,040 So they're there because they're forced to. The real fight is actually between the Iranian 44 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:19,120 people in this regime. Within the last four days, since Saturdays till Tuesday, they have executed 45 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:27,120 61 people, 61 prisoners. That is one every three hours. So they're very scared of the people, 46 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:32,240 and they're uprising, and they're organized resistance. That's why I try to intimidate 47 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:41,520 people by increasing number of executions in Iran. We welcome any effort to stop the 48 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,160 nuclear ambitions of this regime. Actually, the NCRI National Council of Resistance of Iran is 49 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:53,840 the one that in 2002 revealed the atomic sites and nuclear sites of this regime. So we welcome 50 00:05:53,920 --> 00:06:01,840 that. But again, the actual fight, the actual peace will happen between the Iranian people 51 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:11,360 and this regime, and this regime is not capable of creating any lasting peace for the Iranian people. 52 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:20,320 We think any economic help to this regime will also will not benefit the Iranian regime, 53 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:26,240 as it did not in the past. During the Obama administration, $6 billion cash was given to them 54 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:33,920 besides another $40 billion that was given to them. The Iranian people did not benefit. 55 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:42,480 It's the IRGC, the corrupt system in IRGC, used it, and also it was used for the suppressive forces 56 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:48,080 of the regime against the people. They bought anti-riot weapons, you know, anything that you 57 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:56,240 can tell. They bought face recognition cameras and put it all over the streets. So we basically 58 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:04,640 think that as long as this regime is in power, peace will not be in the region. This regime will 59 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:14,000 find some way of cheating any agreement as they did before. So we need to support the Iranian people 60 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:22,320 to once and for all get rid of this regime that will bring the lasting peace for the Iranian people 61 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:31,280 and the region in general. How do you do that if the superpowers of the US and Israel 62 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:42,000 couldn't? Well, you cannot overthrow a regime with bombing, okay, from air. It's impossible, 63 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:50,320 especially a regime that's ideologically driven. You need the people inside Iran, 64 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:57,920 the organized opposition that we have. They know every way there is. They know the people inside 65 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:05,440 Iran. They know who is responsible. I mentioned that in your last interview that five days before 66 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:13,520 that attack that Khamenei was killed by the American, you know, the bombarded his compound, 67 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:21,040 the Iranian opposition, the MEK, the Mujahideen Haal, they attacked with 250 members, 68 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:28,800 attacked that compound. Unfortunately, about 100 of them died, but 150 returned to their 69 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:36,560 bases. So there is an organized opposition inside Iran, which is united with Kurds, 70 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:44,560 and Baluchis, and other minorities inside Iran, and they are the force that they need to overthrow 71 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:51,040 the regime. The regime cannot be overthrown with foreign intervention, especially from air. I mean, 72 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:58,480 they need more than 200,000 troops. It boots on the ground to do that because Iran is full of 73 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:06,480 mountains. It has 95 million people, almost, and it's a large country. So we need to rely on the 74 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:13,040 Iranian people themselves. So far, the West, United States, including United States and the 75 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:22,080 international community, they have been appeasing them all us. They need to recognize the right of 76 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:28,560 the Iranian people and their opposition to fight this regime and not help this regime. That's 77 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:37,360 that's the way to do it. Do you feel as though at this point the opposition is in a better place 78 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:46,720 to take over or not? It is, it is better. I mean, regardless of what, you know, the people who are 79 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:56,320 pro-war or pro-peace, the regime is much weaker. It has lost his leader. It has a son of that leader, 80 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:04,880 which we don't know even if he's alive or not. It has lost a lot of his military top ranked 81 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:12,240 officers. It is much weaker. Inside Iran, there's also a division between factions of 82 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:18,960 regime because some people are saying that why are we having a peace treaty with a country that 83 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:24,160 killed our leader? And then some people who know that they have no other way, they have to have 84 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:32,320 some sort of peace. Otherwise, they'll be, you know, in more shape. So the regime is much weaker. 85 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:38,480 The Iranian people are much stronger now and more organized. And there's a unity between 86 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:45,440 different factions and different minorities in Iran. You know, the last four uprisings in Iran, 87 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:52,640 one in I think was 2019, was for the gas prices that went up. In 2018, I think was price of chicken 88 00:10:52,640 --> 00:11:00,800 that went up. In 2026, the last one that we saw, it was started from Bazar because of the price of 89 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:07,440 the dollar just increased a lot. So this regime is incapable of solving the Iranian people's 90 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:14,720 problems. So as long as the structure is corrupt and you cannot address the basic 91 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:22,720 needs of the Iranian people, these uprisings will happen. It's a matter of time. And this time, 92 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:28,560 people know that there is no help from outside. Some people were thinking that, okay, United 93 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:33,120 States will come bombard these and these guys will go away. And that's it. And they bring, 94 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:39,120 let's say, the son of a Shah, you know, that's not going to happen. The people of Iran need to 95 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:45,280 rise up themselves and they do have organized resistance. They need to basically get the 96 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:52,320 international community's recognition. That's what we need. We don't need any help, money. We 97 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:58,160 don't need any soldiers or boots on the ground from foreign powers. We need their recognitions 98 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:06,160 and their help to basically help the Iranian people. You spoke to conditions of the Iranian 99 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:18,000 people after all of this most recent warfare strikes, killings. What are the conditions 100 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:28,560 on the ground for the people in Iran? They are, they're much more self, obviously, financially. 101 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:36,080 The prices have gone up huge. I mean, they weren't gone up a lot and that people are 102 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:43,520 struggling. A lot of people are struggling financially. But I was talking to a couple of 103 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:49,920 people from Iran, they're hopeful. They know that they cannot wait for anybody from outside. 104 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:54,880 They need to do everything themselves. So they are hopeful. They were actually, I was a little bit 105 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:02,160 kind of down and I was saying, well, this always happened. You guys are okay. And said, oh, no, 106 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:09,360 we're great. Just, you know, we will make it happen. So there is despair as far as financially, 107 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:16,080 but they're hopeful that, you know, the Iranian people will overcome this regime. We have to, 108 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:23,200 because again, last 47 years, they have destroyed Iran. They have taken Iran back economically 109 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:30,480 about 100 years and people are fed up with it. Is there anything you'd like to add on this? 110 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:39,360 I want to basically let everybody know that, as I said, there's a organized and well organized 111 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:48,320 and opposition that we're going to have a demonstration in Paris this Saturday. More than 112 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:58,640 100,000 people are expected to attend. And we need to basically let the world and the people 113 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:05,040 of Iran and everybody know that this is happening so more people can join. So we have a better force 114 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:11,520 to overthrow its regime. All right. Well, thank you. And safe travels. 115 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:18,000 Thank you. We look forward to seeing some of what you might capture there. 116 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,560 Yes, I'll take some videos and pictures and I'll send you guys. 117 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,120 That was great. Thank you so much. Thank you. 118 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:33,440 Thank you. I will follow up to send you the segment when we air it this Friday. 119 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,600 Thank you, Marzia. Thank you. I appreciate it. All right. Thank you, sir. Thanks. 120 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:41,120 Thank you. Have a good one. Bye bye. 121 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,560 You