On the backdrop of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, Mr. Kia highlighted the challenges in the U.S. foreign policy which the new president will have to face. Namely – how to solve the complex crisis in the Middle East. He stated that “Iran is definitely the No. 1 foreign policy challenge” in the battle against the Islam extremists, arguing that the mullahs who have been ruling Iran for almost forty years are actively funding the extremists using state money. This claim is supported by the recent U.S. State Department annual report that claimed Iran to the “the foremost state sponsor of terrorism in 2015.”
The report mentioned Hezbollah (The Party of God) as one of the main beneficiaries on the receiving end of these funds. It is an unsurprising fact, considering that the terrorist group emerged with the support of Iran in the early 1980s, Rooted in Islamic extremist ideology, Hezbollah is among the terrorist groups that have helped the notorious Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to reclaim territory that’s been lost to rebel forces.
Despite the grim statistics in the Middle East, Mr. Kia believes that peace and stability are possible. His solution begins with a democratic Iranian government in Tehran, supported by the Iranian civilians who are eager for a change. He endorsed The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) who act as the opposing force to Iran’s current rulers, as an organisation that could help bring this change about. The movement already has international support and is growing in popularity. The recent “Free Iran” rally, hosted by NCRI in Paris on July 9, was attended by more than 100,000 supporters.
Among them were internationally recognised political and military figures, including Linda Chavez, the Former White House Director of Public Liaison who opened the event, and the U.S. Senator for Arkansas John Boozman. However, the most notable attendee of this rally was the Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal who supported the NCRI, praising the work of its President-elect Maryam Rajavi: “your endeavor to rid your people of the Khomeinist cancer is a historic epic that, like the Shahnameh, will remain inscribed the annals of History.”
Mr. Kia believes that the challenges in foreign policy which the new U.S. president – be it Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump – are likely to face, will be “very unique in nature”. In order to succeed, the new president will have to take bold steps towards bringing peace and stability to the Middle East, by supporting a dramatic change in Iran, rooted in democratic values.
