Previously, we went over Maryam Rajavi’s description of the Iranian people’s struggle from freedom from the beginning of the 20th Century until the 1979 revolution. Today, we will look at the true goal of the anti-monarchic revolution that was cruelly snatched from the people by the mullahs.

In 1979, days after the Shah fled the country, Massoud Rajavi, the only leader of the Iranian Resistance still alive, thanks to an international campaign by his Geneva-based brother, was released from prison. Massoud, who would later become Maryam Rajavi’s husband, set about rebuilding the Iranian Resistance group the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK), which had been gutted by opportunists while the leaders were locked in the Shah’s dungeons.

Despite that huge task, Maryam Rajavi notes that Massoud was unwilling to let Regime Founder Ruhollah Khomeini, who had stolen the people’s revolution to establish his theocratic dictatorship, get away with his “bloodthirsty” actions in the name of Islam.

Maryam Rajavi recounts that in a meeting in Tehran with Massoud, shortly after his release, Khomeini offered Massoud anything he wanted in order to encourage the people of Iran, who’d just been denied the freedom they fought for, to support the Regime.

Maryam Rajavi quoted Khomeini as saying to Massoud, “You are young and young people listen to you. Write down a few sentences and say that those who are not religious are not entitled to engage in political activities. And then all paths will be available to you”. But Massoud refused. Maryam Rajavi quoted him as replying that he could not do so “because the Iranian people’s revolution pursued freedom, and in our view, Islam is a religion of freedom”.

Indeed, Massoud and his supporters began their struggle anew against the second dictator they’d faced, with Masoud soon establishing the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Tehran in 1981. Then, Khomeini realised that the Iranian Resistance would not sacrifice their goals and convictions in order to win political ranks or positions.

Maryam Rajavi said:  “[Massoud] did not let Khomeini establish eternal rule for his Satanic Caliphate under the banner of Islam. Employing the rallying cries of peace and freedom, he did not let Khomeini continue his unjust eight-year war with Iraq.”

Despite Iraq asking for peace talks in 1982, after two years of war, Khomeini dragged the conflict on until 1988, when he was eventually forced by Massoud and his National Liberation Army of Iran to agree to peace. Khomeini planned to “[conquer] Quds (Jerusalem) via Karbala” and Iraq, apparently at any cost. The war left 1 million Iranians dead, 1 million more wounded, 4 million displaced from the warzone, $1 trillion worth of damages and 50 cities burnt to the ground.

In our next piece, we will learn about the Resistance’s 40-year struggle against the Regime.