It’s a warm day in Paris, it’s a hotter day in Iran. But do you feel the winds of change blowing over Iran? And you, you are the people, your brothers and sisters in Albania and your brothers and sisters in Iran, who are blowing that wind with an ever-increasing force. When I was growing up, there was a song by Bob Dylan, and it said you don’t have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing. Well, we don’t have to be weathermen to know that the winds — the force of change — is not only irrevocable in Iran but it is blowing with increasing force to a logical conclusion.
Although things are changing around and under the regime, the regime’s agenda of terrorism has not changed. What has changed, however, is what’s going on in the hearts and minds and on the streets and bazaars in Iran. What’s going on? The value of the rial is dropping faster than the power of the regime.
I have two very brief messages. The one message is to the freedom fighters in Iran. We support you, we’re there for you, we can move. We are amazed at your courage and your bravery. We can move satellites to help you communicate. We can shut down companies on secondary sanctions violations. We can’t carry the fight as you have because you are the tip of the spear for liberty…
My second message, my concluding message, is to the oppressors in Iran, to the terrorist regime, to the criminals who are arresting, torturing, and murdering their citizens. This is not a hundred years ago. We have the ability, and will maintain the ability, to bring those criminals to justice. The day will come when not only democratic change will be brought to Iran, but the criminals who have committed crimes against humanity will fill the criminal courts of the international community. They will be brought to justice.
• Former U.S. District Judge Louis J. Freeh served as FBI Director under President Bill Clinton.
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