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Maryam Rajavi welcomed Clinton's decision to de-list MEK

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance for the period of transition of sovereignty to Iranian people, welcomed and appreciated the decision by Secretary Hillary Clinton to de-list the PMOI/NCRI and implement the ruling of the US court and declared: “I understand that this decision was difficult and required political courage. This has been the correct decision, albeit long overdue, in order to remove a major obstacle in the path of the Iranian people’s efforts for democracy. For more than a decade, mullahs made every effort to prevent removal of this designation. They do not conceal their anger and disappointment and are trying hysterically to counter Secretary Clinton’s decision with their lobby groups in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. “In the days and months ahead, we hope to better introduce ourselves and our goals to international community and the American people. The people of America and the US Government will realize that, contrary to the campaign of demonization and misinformation orchestrated by the religious fascism ruling Iran, our movement is far removed from all the allegations and accusations churned out by the current Iranian regime, is merely striving for freedom and democracy in Iran, and is campaigning against fundamentalism and export of terrorism.  'We propose a non-nuclear Iran, peace, security, democracy, human rights, stability, construction, friendship, and economic development in this region of the world as well as respect for international laws and conventions.

Mrs. Rajavi expressed her profound appreciation to the distinguished American and European politicians and lawmakers, as well as PMOI lawyers, who paid a heavy price in standing with Iranian people and the Resistance in the course of this long and arduous struggle.

Iranian diplomat confronted by protesters near UN building

Associated Press reported that an Iranian diplomat was escorted from a Manhattan street by New York police Wednesday after he was surrounded and threatened by an angry mob of protesters near the United Nations. Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was walking near the United Nations when he was noticed and confronted by the angry mob said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne. He flagged down police officers, who helped him get to a safe spot. Browne said the threats were believed to have been verbal. The incident followed a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the U.N. General Assembly. Outside the building, thousands of anti-Ahmadinejad demonstrators rallied in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza opposite the world body. Ahmadinejad, known for past fiery denunciations of the United States and Israel, said before the General Assembly that there is a “continued threat by the uncivilized Zionists to resort to military action against our great nation.”

Before Ahamdinejad began his speech, the Canadian delegation walked out of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. Rick Roth, press secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, said Wednesday that Canadians “will not sit silently in our chairs and listen to Iran’s hateful, anti-Western, anti-Semitic views.
“If anything, today’s address only reinforces our decision earlier this month to suspend diplomatic relations with Iran.” Outside, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who ran for president earlier this year, challenged President Barack Obama to take stronger action against Iran as it threatens to become a nuclear power. However, he did praise the Obama administration for recently taking the Iranian dissident group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, off the U.S. terrorist watch list. The group is a major anti-Ahmadinejad force.

A coalition of Iranian-American groups organized the protest against Ahmadinejad — one of the largest gatherings staged against the Iranian leader in recent years during the General Assembly. Speakers included high-profile U.S. politicians including two former U.S. ambassadors to the U.N., Democratic U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney and former Rep. Patrick Kennedy.

Maryam Rajavi, an Iranian politician who heads the Paris-based National Council of Resistance, which opposes the Islamic regime, spoke to the protesters from France via satellite on a giant screen. The MEK is the main component of Rajavi’s organization. The group was disarmed by U.S. soldiers during the Iraq invasion in 2003 and has since renounced violence. Native Syrians joined Iranian-Americans to decry Iran’s support of their homeland’s regime. “This is a united symphony of protest,” said Malek Jandali, a musician of Syrian origin who lives in Atlanta. “We’re united against the massacres of men, women and children in both Iran and Syria.”

Floods rampage through 7 northern Iran cities

Severe rainfall sprung flood waters through 7 cities of Iran’s northern Gilan Province and residents are in very harsh conditions, the state-run Mehr news agency reported. “The cities of Langroud, Siahkal, Shaft, Fuman, Astane Ashrafia and Lahijan have witnessed floods due to severe Sunday night rains,” Iran’s Red Crescent chief said. Damages to people’s homes caused by flood waters have reached a point that residents might have to be forced to relocate to other cities. The Iranian regime has yet to report the possible amount of damages and casualties.

Iran readies domestic Internet system, blocks Google

According to Reuters Sep. 23rd the Iranian regime plans to switch its citizens onto a domestic Internet network in what officials say is a bid to improve cyber security but which many Iranians fear is the latest way to control their access to the web. The announcement, made by a government deputy minister on last Sunday came as state television announced Google Inc’s search engine and its email service would be blocked “within a few hours”. “Google and Gmail will be filtered throughout the country until further notice,” an official identified only by his last name, Khoramabadi, said, without giving further details. Many Iranians believe the block on sites such as Facebook and YouTube is due to their use in anti-government protests in 2009. Sites expressing views considered anti-government are also routinely blocked. Iranians commonly overcome the government filter by using virtual private network (VPN) software that makes the computer appear as if it is based in another country.