Paris, June 23, 2012 - Thank you, Patrick.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you very much, thank you.  Thank you.  First, I congratulate Madame Rajavi, all of you, all of the speakers and all the participants.  The efforts that you've undertaken over the last several years have gotten us now to a point where, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, we can see the promised land, can't we? [applause] We're almost there. We're almost there.  We're this close. 

But we're not there yet.  Others have already spoken, and they will speak about the treatment of the people in Camp Ashraf, the danger that they face in this move to what really so far is a prison or concentration camp, not a relocation camp.  The dangers of more violence, the dangers of the Maliki regime trying to carry out the will of the Iranian mullahs.  But I want to speak about just one topic today.  Just one. 

It's about time that the United States of America, the European Union, all the countries of the world stand together with one very, very powerful voice and one very powerful argument.  Regime change in Iran. [applause] The people of Egypt overthrew Mubarak.  The people of Libya overthrew Kaddafi.  The people of Syria are attempting to overthrow Assad.  They've all been praised as freedom fighters.  Last year they were made Time Person of the Year for fighting for freedom.  Well, what about the people of Iran?  [applause] You, you seek to overthrow the most oppressive regime in the region.  More oppressive than Mubarak, more oppressive than Kaddafi.  Even more oppressive than Assad.  Why, why are those countries that supported overthrow of those regimes not supporting the overthrow of the Iranian mullahs? 

The reason is, the reason is fear.  The reason is, appeasement.  The reason is we cling to the misguided notion that we can talk to the mullahs, that we can negotiate with the mullahs.  Well, they don’t want to talk to us.  They've never wanted to talk to us.  They use discussions as a pretext so that they can develop nuclear armaments.  And it's about time we stand up to them.  It is time for a Ronald Reagan, it's time for a Ronald Reagan to say, "Tear down this wall.  Tear down this wall of oppression."  [applause]

This Iranian regime is the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.  It's the most extreme regime, it's been the most brutal to its own people.  And it is seeking to become a nuclear power, which will destabilize the entire region.  It has threatened to annihilate the state of Israel.  It has threatened to attack Americans.  And it currently gives support to terrorists who carry out attacks all over the world.  Wouldn't this world be safer with an Iran that is dedicated to democracy, to freedom, freedom for women, freedom for all people, to the rule of law?  Of course it would be.  And unlike these other places: Egypt, Libya, Syria, there's an alternative right now that exists.  An alternative that exists here and in Iran to replace this regime with all of you.  [applause]

Look, when they tell me when your enemies say, "This is a cult, these are people who are terrorists, these are people who don't stand for human rights, these are people who are not diverse," I wish the cameras instead of being on me would be on you.  Look at all of you.  Men, women, young, old, religious, secular.  This is diversity.  I have been involved in investigating, prosecuting and dealing with the aftermath of terrorists, particularly Islamic extremist terrorists for 35 years.  I know terrorism firsthand.  You are not terrorists.  [applause] In fact, you're the answer to terrorism.  You're the answer to terrorism. 

So, there's been a long fight.  It's been very, very difficult.  The lives of the people in Ashraf and in this other camp—I hesitate to call it Camp Liberty because it hardly is Camp Liberty—but they're still in jeopardy.  People who long for what you long for in Iran are still in jeopardy.  So, sometimes when you're this close that's the most dangerous period.  Sometimes when you're this close your enemies really strike out against you.  So this is no time to be complacent.  It's time for all of us to stand up in the United States, in Europe, in Asia, in the United Nations, in South America, to stand up and say, let's delist the MEK now [applause] so you can fight for freedom.  So you can fight for freedom for your people so we can join you.  And let's say to the people in Ashraf and in the other camp who are listening to us, you're not alone, you're not forgotten.  You will never be alone or forgotten.  Anything and everything that happens to you we will know, we will stand with you.  We will protect you.  And we look forward to a time when you are free and we can all join you in Iran with freedom and democracy and the rule of law.  Thank you.

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