‘You are the source of change in Iran’

Are you ready for regime change in Iran? [applause] Are you ready for Madame Rajavi as president of Iran? (crowd chanting YES, YES, YES) Are you ready for the dictatorship to end?

You know, all you read about is water shortages, corruption, lack of free elections, executions, pensions disappearing, enormous political unrest. Do you know why? Because the end is near. And what you’re seeing is enormous change.

Like many of my colleagues here — and you see in back of me Democrats, Republicans, senators, generals, activists, political leaders from around America — I want you to know that as Senator Torricelli said, “America stands behind you.”

And I see in the back leaders from around the world — legislators, prime ministers, leaders from almost every Western European, African nation, Asian nation behind you.

There are a lot of distinguished leaders here, but do you know what this event is about? This event is about you. You are the source of change in Iran. The young people, the women, the resistance, the youth, the young people here. And I want to tell you a lot of people ask, “Is there an alternative to the mullahs, to the dictatorship?” And the answer is, “Yes, it’s the resistance. It’s the MEK. It’s Mrs. Rajavi. But it’s you.”

And I say to you, “Why?” Because you’re the ones that have fought against the Shah. You fought against the dictatorship, and against the religious dictatorship. You were there in the trenches, fighting and dying. And you represent a platform, a democratic platform of freedom and democracy. You stand for gender equality. You stand for the U.N. Charter of Human Rights. You stand for free and fair elections. You stand for the private sector. You stand for the end of Sharia law. You stand for democracy and young people having an opportunity for a future with jobs.

So I say to you here, as your friend, the power is with you. The power is with everyone in this room and each one of you represents thousands in Iran that are saying, “No dictatorship.” The end is near. The end is near.

So are you for a free Iran? Will you vote for Mrs. Rajavi as President of Iran? (crowd chanting YES, YES, YES)

• Ambassador Bill Richardson is a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. Energy Secretary and Governor of New Mexico.