Iranian opposition welcomes guilty verdict for diplomat bomber

Christopher Hamill-Stewart
Heavily armed policemen patroll outside the courthouse during the trial of four persons including an Iranian diplomate and Belgian-Iranian couple before the Antwerp criminal court in Antwerp, on February 4, 2021. (File/AFP)
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  • Belgian court sentences Assadollah Assadi to 20 years in jail for Paris bomb plot
  • NCRI: 鈥楬istoric verdict鈥� is 鈥榓 conviction of the entire regime of the Islamic Republic鈥�

LONDON: The head of the most prominent Iranian opposition group has welcomed the guilty verdict against an Iranian diplomat and terrorist who had planned to bomb a rally it had organized in Paris in 2018.

Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) 鈥� speaking at an online event attended by Arab News on Thursday to mark the Belgian court鈥檚 ruling 鈥� said the guilty verdict is a 鈥渨atershed moment鈥� in relations between Europe and Iran.

鈥淭he conviction of (Assadollah) Assadi is a conviction of the entire regime of the Islamic Republic,鈥� she said.

鈥淎fter today鈥檚 historic verdict, the Iranian people and resistance expect the EU and other European countries to take steps to dismantle the regime鈥檚 terrorist network in Europe.鈥�

Rajavi urged European countries to recall their ambassadors from Iran and shut down its diplomatic missions. The verdict, she said, proves that those missions are used for terrorism.

Rajavi also implored the EU and its member states to designate Iran鈥檚 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Ministry of Intelligence as terrorist entities.

鈥淎ny negotiation with the regime or return to normal diplomatic status must be conditional on dismantling the mullahs鈥� terrorist network in Europe 鈥� firmness is the correct answer to the mullahs鈥� blackmailing and hostage taking,鈥� she said.

Rajavi added that it is fitting to congratulate the Iranian people on Thursday鈥檚 ruling as 鈥渢hey鈥檙e the main victims of the regime鈥檚 terrorism and suppression.鈥�

The court found that Assadi had abused his diplomatic protection in order to smuggle a bomb manufactured in Tehran into Europe.

Mohammad Mohaddessin, chair of the NCRI鈥檚 Foreign Affairs Committee, said this highlights the very real security threat posed by Iran鈥檚 embassies and the diplomats working in them.

鈥淭he verdict clearly shows that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their missions abroad are a part of the terror machine of the regime,鈥� he added.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e exporting terrorism and they must be shut down. If they aren鈥檛 closed or shut down, they鈥檒l continue to operate as they did before. They have no credibility left, especially in the EU, and they must be expelled.鈥�

Soleimani鈥檚 shadow
Qassem Soleimani left a trail of death and destruction in his wake as head of Iran鈥檚 Quds Force 鈥� until his assassination on Jan. 3, 2020. Yet still, his legacy of murderous interference continues to haunt the region

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Topics: Iran