January 16, 2026 • 27 mins
On the latest episode of Protecting America, Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - US Representative Office, joins Rita Cosby to discuss the courageous anti-regime protesters rising up in Iran and what President Trump should do to help Iranian citizens in their heroic fight for freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Red Apple Media Podcast Network presents This is Protecting America.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Here's Emmy winning journalist Rita Cosby.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Welcome to another edition of Protecting America. I'm Rita Cosby.
President Trump is telling anti regime protesters in Iran to
keep protesting and that help is on the way. So
what should President Trump do to help the Iranian citizens
(00:35):
in their very courageous fight for freedom. Joining us now
to discuss this and so much more is Ala Reza
Jafarza Day. He is the Deputy director of the National
Council of Resistance of Iran US Representative Office. Alresa, it's
great to have you here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Great to be on your show, detop.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
How important is a free Iran are obviously the people there,
but also for the United States and for the world.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, it will be changing everything that you have seen
in the past decades. Think about the Runner regime, what
the role they play. They're the epicenter of war and terror.
They're the main hub for terrorism, not just in the region,
everywhere else around the world. They had built this, you know,
(01:27):
the world of Islamic extremism, creating proxies all over the region.
They even try to reach out to Venezuela in the
Western Hemisphere. They built the developing nuclear weapons, which has
been very, very costly to the Iranian people. Their nuclear
(01:48):
weapons program has caused until now two trillion dollars, that's
how important it was for the Runner regime. They have
a very advanced, sophisticated missile program which is intended to
project the influence of the Iran regime and keep them
in power. They have the drone program. All of these
(02:09):
activities of the Iran regime had cost them a lot.
And then add to all of that the repression that
they had created inside Iran for the past four or
five decades, putting intellectuals in jail, killing people, the corruption
that is meant to galvanize and direct all the resources
(02:32):
of the country to the molas. So when there is
a change in Iran and you have a free, democratic,
non nuclear, non aggressive republic Iran, that would not only
impact some ninety million population in Iran, but it will
(02:53):
change everything in the region and by extension, globally. So
a free Iran is not just, you know, a mere
good thing, It's an absolute necessity if we want to
see an end to terrorism and see peace and tranquility
in the region.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
How important, especially also as you brought up for US
security too. I mean, it really isn't a unilateral thing.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Absolutely, I mean think about it since State one, when
the Molas came to power, they took over the US embassy,
taking fifty two Americans hostage for four hundred and forty
four days. Then they targeted Americans in Lebanon and so
many places around the world. They built very advanced sophisticated
(03:42):
roadside bombs known as EFPs that penetrate through armor and
use them in Iraq, targeting American forces there, but also
you know, playing games and trying to gain concessions from
the United States while advancing herosm so. And then they
have their agents, the terrorists not only targeting Americans and
(04:06):
others in the region, destabilizing the region, but also targeting
US citizens here in the in the United States. So
in that sense, I mean, if you're thinking about the security, uh,
it would have a huge impact to see an end
to the rule of the clerics, both for the United States,
(04:27):
the countries in the Western world, and also in the region.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
There also were Iranian plots to go after President Trump.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Absolutely, they have a long list of you know what
the regime has created list of their targets designated people
from president trop to former sector of state. They had
a long list of them, and they continue to threaten that.
And that's why I think it's so important for people
(04:57):
to understand when we're talking about Iran, it's not just
if you know, the freedom for the people there. It
has a huge impact regionally, globally and also for the
United States.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Let's talk about also what's going on in Iran now.
How courageous are the people really who have been rising
up in big, big numbers. What are you hearing? Is
it really all over the country? Is it young and old?
Who are these courageous people?
Speaker 2 (05:28):
It's very difficult to describe the level of you know,
courage and sacrifice on one side on the part of
the people, and the revel level of cruelty and savagery
on the part of the Irano regime. And the people
of Iran were being really fed up with the system.
(05:49):
With the regime. They have lost everything in terms of economy,
their political freedoms, nothing as was working from food and
water and electricity. You know, I Run is a very
rich country. We have the second largest oil and gas
reserves combined in the world. Yet eighty percent of the
population live below the poverty line, and all the money
(06:09):
goes to the ruling clerics, the revolutionary guards and institutions
run by them or their proxies and their nuclear weapons program.
So you know, people feel okay, they need to stand
up and determine their future. And this latest round of uprisings,
even though it started it was triggered by the deteriorating
(06:34):
value of the Iranian currency, but it soon expanded to
all the other sectors of Tehran and other cities. Over
two hundred cities in all thirty one provinces of Iran
were involved. But the engine really has been the younger generation.
Most of them are very young people who were taking
(06:56):
things into their hands confronting the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Some
revolution guards corre that keeps the regime in place and
showing defiance, would not back down when they were confronted
by the revolutionary Guards. They continued, you know, day and night,
and a lot of them are actually you know, the
(07:17):
role that the organized resistance, which is headed by the
main Ranian opposition movement known as the MK which they
had the they have the what they call resistance units
These are smaller groups of anywhere from two to twenty
people all over the country in all thirty one provinces,
(07:41):
and their their job has been to act as the
engine to move forward the uprisings. They show the people
that the molas, even though the repressive, they have the
revolution guards and everything, but they're not ten feet tall.
They're extremely vulnerable, targeting them and and showing courage and
keeping the focus on the main slogans of the protests,
(08:05):
which was death to the dictator, death to harmony, which
is the supreme leader of the regime, and death to
the oppressor, be the Shaw or the supreme leader, making
it very clear that Iran is not going to go
backwards to the dictatorship of the Shaw, which the Reading
people once overthrew, and they're not going to settle off
with the current theocracy. It's all about freedom, it's all
(08:27):
about political prudism. So that's why this level of courage.
The regime really tried to silence them, and they confronted
them with you shooting the protesters and of course arresting
so many of them. The latest information we have that
we were able to compile as of yesterday was that
(08:49):
over three thousand protesters have been killed in almost all
thirty one provinces of the country, and this number most
probably is much much higher than what we were able
to confirm. But that hasn't been able to silence the protesters.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
And even today we had clashes between the people in
Tehran and Capitol, in other cities from down south to
the northeast, northwest and Balanchestan and other places.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
So the flames of the protests continue, even though the
regime may be able to put down in some areas
and temporary damp on things. But I can assure you
that there's no way that they can extinguish the flames
of an ef a nation that has decided to end
the rule of the clerics at whatever costs. This is
(09:48):
the time for our people, and also this is a
time for the whole world to side with the people
of Iran and stand on their side.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
There were also reports teleray Is that many people have
just gone missing, maybe they're in prisons or who knows
what have you heard that too as well.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Absolutely, you know, we have a very powerful network inside Iran,
and we have had many of our people's you know,
network on the ground who we know that they were killed,
but there were so many others that we don't know
about their whereabouts. You know, it could be because of
lack of communications, but a lot of them that when
(10:29):
you communicate back to the network you realize that you
know they're missing. Who knows whether they're killed or they
they're arrested and jailed. The regime doesn't provide information to
about those that they arrest. They just announced a few
days ago that anyone who has been involved in the
(10:51):
protests or will be involved in the protests, they declared
them as mohara, meaning waging war on God. That by
the regimes on definition, that means you know, they can
kill them because the regime says, we're representing God and
when you stand up against the regime, we're standing up
(11:11):
against God. So we're going to kill you. So they're
going to start a wave of killings and you know,
any executions in Iran. But no matter what they do,
and they have done these things in the past, of course,
now it's a much larger scale. Clearly shows a level
of desperation of the Urano regime and that they have
(11:34):
no other solution except killings.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
You know, there are also reports that the regime elements
are going to hospitals and saying, tell us who are
some of the wounded protesters maybe that have been treated there.
That they're trying to put pressure even on hospital staff.
Are you hearing that, yes?
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Absolutely, you know they even have people at the entrance
of the hospitals and to identify who are the people
who are going in, going in that you know were
injured during the protests, or go and talk to the
doctors the nurses, pressure them. You have to tell us
(12:14):
who are the people who came here for injuries, not
regular injuries, but injuries that came as a result of
the protests, and try to identify them. And I can
say that, really the heroic people of Iran, especially the
personnel in the hospitals, none of them are cooperating. A
lot of them were beaten badly, the nurses, the doctors
(12:38):
because they refuse to collaborate with the state security forces
and reluche guards. But it also shows the level of
desperation this regime feels that they're on the way down
and they will resort to anything to stay in power,
especially because they realize that it's not just the anger
(12:59):
of the populace. There is an organized force on the ground.
Those who have been fighting the regime for the past
four decades, you know, those who refuse to give up. Instead,
they have you know, paid more attention, more efforts in
organizing and you know, creating hope for the others. You know,
(13:20):
just in the summer of nineteen eighty eight, the Iran
regime massacred some thirty thousand political prisoners, majority of them
belong to the main Ranian opposition, the mk which is
the same group that also exposed the nuclear size of Iran,
hoping that by this massacre, which by the UN reports
(13:42):
is described as crime against humanity and genocide, thinking okay,
this will put an end to all of the opposition.
It didn't. Right now, you know, when you see these
young people in the streets, these are you know, the children,
the siblings, the grandchildren, the family members, the friends of
(14:02):
all of those people that the regime killed in the eighties,
and so actually that those killings has now turned into
you know, an anger of a population, but it turned
into an organized force. And the good thing is that,
you know, this organized force is very as a very
(14:24):
clear platform for the future, is headed by a woman,
missus Mariam Rajavi, who has introduced a ten point platform
for the future of VI grant based on ballot box
as the only criteria for legitimacy, separation of religion and
state equality for men and women, free market economy, freedom
(14:45):
of religion, and you know, a non nuclear republic form
of government. That's the goal and the model for the
Iranian people that they know once they're fighting the Iatolas,
they are looking to a future it is right that
is built on sovereignty, that is built on the vote
of the population, on representation, built for freedom. And that's
(15:09):
I think that you know, image of the future of
Iran is driving everyone to despite the hardship, to continue
the fight, and we are confident that we will win.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
How is she and that group different than the Shaw's Sun,
The Prince explained sort of sort of the different groups
that are out there that could rise up.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Well, you know, missus Ragibie leads a coalition known as
the National Council of Resistance of Iran. That the main
organization within this council, which includes various political tendencies. Uh,
and they they are very secular, the council and says,
you know, anyone who wants to see an end to
(15:58):
the rule of the Molas. Want to see a republic
form of government where the vote of people counts and
believes in separssion and state. Those are the core foundations,
and the main group within that movement has been the
emy k that stood up against the Diatolas. And you know,
there are the ones who are in the acting as
(16:18):
the engine for change, and the regime kills so many
of them, but they continue to just the fight and
the struggle. Now, the other elements in the opposition are
the ethnic groups like the Kurds, who are vimit to
oppose to the Iatolas. They were badly repressed under the
Shah and so they don't like to see another form
(16:41):
of dictatorship. A lot of other minorities but are also involved. Now.
The son of the show that you mentioned, actually that's
the only way you can describe him, because that's the
only credential he has. He's the son of a deposed
dictator who was swept out of power. Or you know,
(17:01):
in nineteen seventy nine by a very popular nation bid
uprising of the people to bat the Mulas stole the
leadership of that revolution and soon derailed the whole revolution
that was meant for polite called puralism and democracy and freedom,
and they turned that into an Islamic extremist mentality. So
(17:23):
the son of the show basically represents the past and
he has played no role whatsoever in the developments in Iran.
Build no organization, no entity, no platform, no track record.
Basically you know, spending the money that his family stole
out of Iran, lavish life, spending time, you know, in
(17:46):
luxurious places. Actually, when the protests started in December twenty eighth,
two weeks ago, he was in Bahamas and he wouldn't
abandon his vacation until it finished. And then he shows
up with you know, with some and talks about the protests,
getting on television, trying to make himself relevant to these issues.
(18:06):
This is this is treasury. This is not you know,
signing with the people of Iran. And you know that
that's what he does is actually an obstacle to the
protests and the uprisings in Iran, because what the regime
is trying to say is that look, you know, all
the people of Iran support the IE tool us. Whatever
is happening in Iran is just the foreign you know,
(18:29):
instigative things or people who want to go back to
the dictatorship of the shot. There's nothing genuine on the ground.
That's the argument of the Malas and Riza Palavi actually,
you know, plays that role because he keeps talking about
how great he was under the shy All of the
people around him are that. You know, he pretty much
(18:51):
considers himself as the as the heir to his father
and his system, and no matter what he claims, so
he's he's jumping in only just reinforces the regime's argument
that this is all about the past, whereas in reality,
the people of Iran did not overthrow a dictatorship only
(19:12):
to see, you know, we're not overthrow a dictation only
to see the previous dictatorship which they once overthrew to
come back. So that's why I think it's so important
for people to understand that there are people who are
trying to write waves and take advantage of the situation
for their own benefits, but there are others who have
(19:32):
been paying the price, you know, fighting the regime. You know,
we have a list of twenty thousand members of the
Mek movement that were killed by the regime with their
pictures and the details. And this list was published in
two thousand and six, and so many others were killed
(19:52):
ever since. This is the story of a movement that
is truly fighting de molas. This is the movement that
exposed all the major criticized of Iran, expose their terror network,
their missile program, their drone program. This is the movement
that is the number one target of the terrorism of
the regime and the killings inside Iran and has a
(20:13):
very clear, well defined platform for the future. And they
say very clearly, this is the kind of Iran we're
looking forward. This is the kind of Iran we're promoting
for based on pluralism and democracy and freedom. And they
don't play games, they don't do wake things. And that's
why I think it's so important that people realize that
(20:34):
members of Congress in a bi personal way supported this
movement both in the House and the Senate. Some four
thousand parliamentarians around the world have supported this movement. So
many people, you know, former board leaders, about one hundred
Nobel Laureates have supported this movement because it's legitimate. It's
the representing the demands and the desires of the people
(20:58):
of Iran.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
And before I let you go, as you're talking about
the Iranian regime. President Trump has been very clear on
his support of these protesters and even came out and
he canceled conversations with Iranian officials. Apparently they were trying
to make some backchannel conversations of some sort, probably playing games.
(21:20):
But it was a very powerful signal that President Trump
publicly said Aloresa, No, we're not going to talk with
them anymore. If they're going to be doing this to protesters,
there will be no dialogue. How important is that to
have a president with a hard line, and you compare
it to what's happened in the past with Obama when
everything happened, you know, palats of cash came soon afterwards,
(21:41):
and he turned to blind Eamond he believed to the protesters.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I think absolutely this is extremely important because you know,
the molas have been used to being you know, a
piece constantly, both by the Europeans or various administrations here
in the United States, just as you said, getting palaces
of cash, getting away with their terrorism and all of that.
(22:05):
You know, when we first exposed the nuclear sizes of
Iran in two thousand and two, Latans and Iraq, and
you know, in one year we had several press conferences
showing all the different aspects of the nuclear program of Iran.
And you would think, if you know, everyone would say
this is great, that they need to be praised. But
the amlisation was trying to rush to help the regime
(22:28):
and appease them and cut the deal. And not only
they didn't do anything to you know, end the nuclear
weapons program of the Iran regime. Instead they shut down
our office. So that's you can see the sharp difference between,
you know, a policy that is based on confronting terrorism
and a policy that tolerates terrorism, Tolerancenokar weapons program. So
(22:54):
I think the it's important messaging for the people of
Iran to realize that, you know, their killers, those who
are massacred people in issues of Tehran are not being
endorsed to the country. They are being held accountable. We
haven't seen that for a long long time. And that's
(23:15):
why I think, you know, in reality, the real force
for change at the end of the day are those
underground in Iran, the people of Iran, and they are
the ones who are going to bring down the iatolos.
Especially we have a large country of nine to million
population and when they are encouraged when they feel that
(23:38):
they're being backed, they're being respected, and that their right
to overthrow the regime is being recognized. That makes a
huge difference because you know, missus Rager, we has said
repeatedly that we're not asking for foreign boots on the ground,
we're not asking for foreign money or anything. All we're
(23:58):
asking for is to recogniz as the right of our movement,
our people, our resistance units, to end the rule of
the clerics, to fight the Iatolas and establish democracy in Iran.
And that's why we're hoping to see also others to
join in Europe and other places. And thank god, the
(24:19):
developments in the past few months has been very helpful,
favorable that the world is waking up that you know,
there is a way to end the threat of the Iatolas.
And at the end of the day, it's the overthrow
of the Molas by the people of Iran, and we're
on the right track, and we need to do work
(24:40):
to make sure that happens, to make sure that it's
not derailed. These molars, as you said, you know, they
insinuate it as though they are willing to sit down
and talk. But these molars are so tricky They are
masters of deception. They know how to derail everything, and
they know how to derail the protests, the uprising and
(25:00):
you know, and trap people. That's why it's so important
for the United States and anyone who is the decision
maker to understand that the clock in Iran is is
you know, you're going to go move forward for freedom
and democracy, not backwards. You know. The dictatorship of the show.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Yeah, no doubt. It is just extraordinary to watch, and
we are praying for all of those incredible protesters who
are fighting for freedom, for ron, for the world. Really
in so many ways, keep us posted, please, Alarisa and
your wonderful group they're led by missus Marion Rajave and
(25:40):
everything that you're doing just to defend freedom. It really
is extraordinary and expiring in so many ways. I think
the world's inspired by everything that they're seeing. And everybody
be sure to subscribe and share to this podcast. Alarisa
Jafarz today. Thank you so much for joining us, Alisa,
and let's pray for p Let's pray there's good news soon.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that it's always
a pleasure to be on your show and thank you
for the inspiration you bring, the information you provide for
your listeners. I think it's so important for the American
public to know the truth, to see all the realities first,
and appreciate that and everybody.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
I'll be back soon with another great addition of protecting America,
and of course you can catch me every weeknight ten
pm to midnight on the legendary w ABC Radio. This
is Rita Cosby and thanks for all you do to
protect America.
The Red Apple Media Podcast Network presents This is Protecting America.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Here's Emmy winning journalist Rita Cosby.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Welcome to another edition of Protecting America. I'm Rita Cosby.
President Trump is telling anti regime protesters in Iran to
keep protesting and that help is on the way. So
what should President Trump do to help the Iranian citizens
(00:35):
in their very courageous fight for freedom. Joining us now
to discuss this and so much more is Ala Reza
Jafarza Day. He is the Deputy director of the National
Council of Resistance of Iran US Representative Office. Alresa, it's
great to have you here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Great to be on your show, detop.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
How important is a free Iran are obviously the people there,
but also for the United States and for the world.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, it will be changing everything that you have seen
in the past decades. Think about the Runner regime, what
the role they play. They're the epicenter of war and terror.
They're the main hub for terrorism, not just in the region,
everywhere else around the world. They had built this, you know,
(01:27):
the world of Islamic extremism, creating proxies all over the region.
They even try to reach out to Venezuela in the
Western Hemisphere. They built the developing nuclear weapons, which has
been very, very costly to the Iranian people. Their nuclear
(01:48):
weapons program has caused until now two trillion dollars, that's
how important it was for the Runner regime. They have
a very advanced, sophisticated missile program which is intended to
project the influence of the Iran regime and keep them
in power. They have the drone program. All of these
(02:09):
activities of the Iran regime had cost them a lot.
And then add to all of that the repression that
they had created inside Iran for the past four or
five decades, putting intellectuals in jail, killing people, the corruption
that is meant to galvanize and direct all the resources
(02:32):
of the country to the molas. So when there is
a change in Iran and you have a free, democratic,
non nuclear, non aggressive republic Iran, that would not only
impact some ninety million population in Iran, but it will
(02:53):
change everything in the region and by extension, globally. So
a free Iran is not just, you know, a mere
good thing, It's an absolute necessity if we want to
see an end to terrorism and see peace and tranquility
in the region.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
How important, especially also as you brought up for US
security too. I mean, it really isn't a unilateral thing.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Absolutely, I mean think about it since State one, when
the Molas came to power, they took over the US embassy,
taking fifty two Americans hostage for four hundred and forty
four days. Then they targeted Americans in Lebanon and so
many places around the world. They built very advanced sophisticated
(03:42):
roadside bombs known as EFPs that penetrate through armor and
use them in Iraq, targeting American forces there, but also
you know, playing games and trying to gain concessions from
the United States while advancing herosm so. And then they
have their agents, the terrorists not only targeting Americans and
(04:06):
others in the region, destabilizing the region, but also targeting
US citizens here in the in the United States. So
in that sense, I mean, if you're thinking about the security, uh,
it would have a huge impact to see an end
to the rule of the clerics, both for the United States,
(04:27):
the countries in the Western world, and also in the region.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
There also were Iranian plots to go after President Trump.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Absolutely, they have a long list of you know what
the regime has created list of their targets designated people
from president trop to former sector of state. They had
a long list of them, and they continue to threaten that.
And that's why I think it's so important for people
(04:57):
to understand when we're talking about Iran, it's not just
if you know, the freedom for the people there. It
has a huge impact regionally, globally and also for the
United States.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Let's talk about also what's going on in Iran now.
How courageous are the people really who have been rising
up in big, big numbers. What are you hearing? Is
it really all over the country? Is it young and old?
Who are these courageous people?
Speaker 2 (05:28):
It's very difficult to describe the level of you know,
courage and sacrifice on one side on the part of
the people, and the revel level of cruelty and savagery
on the part of the Irano regime. And the people
of Iran were being really fed up with the system.
(05:49):
With the regime. They have lost everything in terms of economy,
their political freedoms, nothing as was working from food and
water and electricity. You know, I Run is a very
rich country. We have the second largest oil and gas
reserves combined in the world. Yet eighty percent of the
population live below the poverty line, and all the money
(06:09):
goes to the ruling clerics, the revolutionary guards and institutions
run by them or their proxies and their nuclear weapons program.
So you know, people feel okay, they need to stand
up and determine their future. And this latest round of uprisings,
even though it started it was triggered by the deteriorating
(06:34):
value of the Iranian currency, but it soon expanded to
all the other sectors of Tehran and other cities. Over
two hundred cities in all thirty one provinces of Iran
were involved. But the engine really has been the younger generation.
Most of them are very young people who were taking
(06:56):
things into their hands confronting the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Some
revolution guards corre that keeps the regime in place and
showing defiance, would not back down when they were confronted
by the revolutionary Guards. They continued, you know, day and night,
and a lot of them are actually you know, the
(07:17):
role that the organized resistance, which is headed by the
main Ranian opposition movement known as the MK which they
had the they have the what they call resistance units
These are smaller groups of anywhere from two to twenty
people all over the country in all thirty one provinces,
(07:41):
and their their job has been to act as the
engine to move forward the uprisings. They show the people
that the molas, even though the repressive, they have the
revolution guards and everything, but they're not ten feet tall.
They're extremely vulnerable, targeting them and and showing courage and
keeping the focus on the main slogans of the protests,
(08:05):
which was death to the dictator, death to harmony, which
is the supreme leader of the regime, and death to
the oppressor, be the Shaw or the supreme leader, making
it very clear that Iran is not going to go
backwards to the dictatorship of the Shaw, which the Reading
people once overthrew, and they're not going to settle off
with the current theocracy. It's all about freedom, it's all
(08:27):
about political prudism. So that's why this level of courage.
The regime really tried to silence them, and they confronted
them with you shooting the protesters and of course arresting
so many of them. The latest information we have that
we were able to compile as of yesterday was that
(08:49):
over three thousand protesters have been killed in almost all
thirty one provinces of the country, and this number most
probably is much much higher than what we were able
to confirm. But that hasn't been able to silence the protesters.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
And even today we had clashes between the people in
Tehran and Capitol, in other cities from down south to
the northeast, northwest and Balanchestan and other places.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
So the flames of the protests continue, even though the
regime may be able to put down in some areas
and temporary damp on things. But I can assure you
that there's no way that they can extinguish the flames
of an ef a nation that has decided to end
the rule of the clerics at whatever costs. This is
(09:48):
the time for our people, and also this is a
time for the whole world to side with the people
of Iran and stand on their side.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
There were also reports teleray Is that many people have
just gone missing, maybe they're in prisons or who knows
what have you heard that too as well.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Absolutely, you know, we have a very powerful network inside Iran,
and we have had many of our people's you know,
network on the ground who we know that they were killed,
but there were so many others that we don't know
about their whereabouts. You know, it could be because of
lack of communications, but a lot of them that when
(10:29):
you communicate back to the network you realize that you
know they're missing. Who knows whether they're killed or they
they're arrested and jailed. The regime doesn't provide information to
about those that they arrest. They just announced a few
days ago that anyone who has been involved in the
(10:51):
protests or will be involved in the protests, they declared
them as mohara, meaning waging war on God. That by
the regimes on definition, that means you know, they can
kill them because the regime says, we're representing God and
when you stand up against the regime, we're standing up
(11:11):
against God. So we're going to kill you. So they're
going to start a wave of killings and you know,
any executions in Iran. But no matter what they do,
and they have done these things in the past, of course,
now it's a much larger scale. Clearly shows a level
of desperation of the Urano regime and that they have
(11:34):
no other solution except killings.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
You know, there are also reports that the regime elements
are going to hospitals and saying, tell us who are
some of the wounded protesters maybe that have been treated there.
That they're trying to put pressure even on hospital staff.
Are you hearing that, yes?
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Absolutely, you know they even have people at the entrance
of the hospitals and to identify who are the people
who are going in, going in that you know were
injured during the protests, or go and talk to the
doctors the nurses, pressure them. You have to tell us
(12:14):
who are the people who came here for injuries, not
regular injuries, but injuries that came as a result of
the protests, and try to identify them. And I can
say that, really the heroic people of Iran, especially the
personnel in the hospitals, none of them are cooperating. A
lot of them were beaten badly, the nurses, the doctors
(12:38):
because they refuse to collaborate with the state security forces
and reluche guards. But it also shows the level of
desperation this regime feels that they're on the way down
and they will resort to anything to stay in power,
especially because they realize that it's not just the anger
(12:59):
of the populace. There is an organized force on the ground.
Those who have been fighting the regime for the past
four decades, you know, those who refuse to give up. Instead,
they have you know, paid more attention, more efforts in
organizing and you know, creating hope for the others. You know,
(13:20):
just in the summer of nineteen eighty eight, the Iran
regime massacred some thirty thousand political prisoners, majority of them
belong to the main Ranian opposition, the mk which is
the same group that also exposed the nuclear size of Iran,
hoping that by this massacre, which by the UN reports
(13:42):
is described as crime against humanity and genocide, thinking okay,
this will put an end to all of the opposition.
It didn't. Right now, you know, when you see these
young people in the streets, these are you know, the children,
the siblings, the grandchildren, the family members, the friends of
(14:02):
all of those people that the regime killed in the eighties,
and so actually that those killings has now turned into
you know, an anger of a population, but it turned
into an organized force. And the good thing is that,
you know, this organized force is very as a very
(14:24):
clear platform for the future, is headed by a woman,
missus Mariam Rajavi, who has introduced a ten point platform
for the future of VI grant based on ballot box
as the only criteria for legitimacy, separation of religion and
state equality for men and women, free market economy, freedom
(14:45):
of religion, and you know, a non nuclear republic form
of government. That's the goal and the model for the
Iranian people that they know once they're fighting the Iatolas,
they are looking to a future it is right that
is built on sovereignty, that is built on the vote
of the population, on representation, built for freedom. And that's
(15:09):
I think that you know, image of the future of
Iran is driving everyone to despite the hardship, to continue
the fight, and we are confident that we will win.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
How is she and that group different than the Shaw's Sun,
The Prince explained sort of sort of the different groups
that are out there that could rise up.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Well, you know, missus Ragibie leads a coalition known as
the National Council of Resistance of Iran. That the main
organization within this council, which includes various political tendencies. Uh,
and they they are very secular, the council and says,
you know, anyone who wants to see an end to
(15:58):
the rule of the Molas. Want to see a republic
form of government where the vote of people counts and
believes in separssion and state. Those are the core foundations,
and the main group within that movement has been the
emy k that stood up against the Diatolas. And you know,
there are the ones who are in the acting as
(16:18):
the engine for change, and the regime kills so many
of them, but they continue to just the fight and
the struggle. Now, the other elements in the opposition are
the ethnic groups like the Kurds, who are vimit to
oppose to the Iatolas. They were badly repressed under the
Shah and so they don't like to see another form
(16:41):
of dictatorship. A lot of other minorities but are also involved. Now.
The son of the show that you mentioned, actually that's
the only way you can describe him, because that's the
only credential he has. He's the son of a deposed
dictator who was swept out of power. Or you know,
(17:01):
in nineteen seventy nine by a very popular nation bid
uprising of the people to bat the Mulas stole the
leadership of that revolution and soon derailed the whole revolution
that was meant for polite called puralism and democracy and freedom,
and they turned that into an Islamic extremist mentality. So
(17:23):
the son of the show basically represents the past and
he has played no role whatsoever in the developments in Iran.
Build no organization, no entity, no platform, no track record.
Basically you know, spending the money that his family stole
out of Iran, lavish life, spending time, you know, in
(17:46):
luxurious places. Actually, when the protests started in December twenty eighth,
two weeks ago, he was in Bahamas and he wouldn't
abandon his vacation until it finished. And then he shows
up with you know, with some and talks about the protests,
getting on television, trying to make himself relevant to these issues.
(18:06):
This is this is treasury. This is not you know,
signing with the people of Iran. And you know that
that's what he does is actually an obstacle to the
protests and the uprisings in Iran, because what the regime
is trying to say is that look, you know, all
the people of Iran support the IE tool us. Whatever
is happening in Iran is just the foreign you know,
(18:29):
instigative things or people who want to go back to
the dictatorship of the shot. There's nothing genuine on the ground.
That's the argument of the Malas and Riza Palavi actually,
you know, plays that role because he keeps talking about
how great he was under the shy All of the
people around him are that. You know, he pretty much
(18:51):
considers himself as the as the heir to his father
and his system, and no matter what he claims, so
he's he's jumping in only just reinforces the regime's argument
that this is all about the past, whereas in reality,
the people of Iran did not overthrow a dictatorship only
(19:12):
to see, you know, we're not overthrow a dictation only
to see the previous dictatorship which they once overthrew to
come back. So that's why I think it's so important
for people to understand that there are people who are
trying to write waves and take advantage of the situation
for their own benefits, but there are others who have
(19:32):
been paying the price, you know, fighting the regime. You know,
we have a list of twenty thousand members of the
Mek movement that were killed by the regime with their
pictures and the details. And this list was published in
two thousand and six, and so many others were killed
(19:52):
ever since. This is the story of a movement that
is truly fighting de molas. This is the movement that
exposed all the major criticized of Iran, expose their terror network,
their missile program, their drone program. This is the movement
that is the number one target of the terrorism of
the regime and the killings inside Iran and has a
(20:13):
very clear, well defined platform for the future. And they
say very clearly, this is the kind of Iran we're
looking forward. This is the kind of Iran we're promoting
for based on pluralism and democracy and freedom. And they
don't play games, they don't do wake things. And that's
why I think it's so important that people realize that
(20:34):
members of Congress in a bi personal way supported this
movement both in the House and the Senate. Some four
thousand parliamentarians around the world have supported this movement. So
many people, you know, former board leaders, about one hundred
Nobel Laureates have supported this movement because it's legitimate. It's
the representing the demands and the desires of the people
(20:58):
of Iran.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
And before I let you go, as you're talking about
the Iranian regime. President Trump has been very clear on
his support of these protesters and even came out and
he canceled conversations with Iranian officials. Apparently they were trying
to make some backchannel conversations of some sort, probably playing games.
(21:20):
But it was a very powerful signal that President Trump
publicly said Aloresa, No, we're not going to talk with
them anymore. If they're going to be doing this to protesters,
there will be no dialogue. How important is that to
have a president with a hard line, and you compare
it to what's happened in the past with Obama when
everything happened, you know, palats of cash came soon afterwards,
(21:41):
and he turned to blind Eamond he believed to the protesters.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I think absolutely this is extremely important because you know,
the molas have been used to being you know, a
piece constantly, both by the Europeans or various administrations here
in the United States, just as you said, getting palaces
of cash, getting away with their terrorism and all of that.
(22:05):
You know, when we first exposed the nuclear sizes of
Iran in two thousand and two, Latans and Iraq, and
you know, in one year we had several press conferences
showing all the different aspects of the nuclear program of Iran.
And you would think, if you know, everyone would say
this is great, that they need to be praised. But
the amlisation was trying to rush to help the regime
(22:28):
and appease them and cut the deal. And not only
they didn't do anything to you know, end the nuclear
weapons program of the Iran regime. Instead they shut down
our office. So that's you can see the sharp difference between,
you know, a policy that is based on confronting terrorism
and a policy that tolerates terrorism, Tolerancenokar weapons program. So
(22:54):
I think the it's important messaging for the people of
Iran to realize that, you know, their killers, those who
are massacred people in issues of Tehran are not being
endorsed to the country. They are being held accountable. We
haven't seen that for a long long time. And that's
(23:15):
why I think, you know, in reality, the real force
for change at the end of the day are those
underground in Iran, the people of Iran, and they are
the ones who are going to bring down the iatolos.
Especially we have a large country of nine to million
population and when they are encouraged when they feel that
(23:38):
they're being backed, they're being respected, and that their right
to overthrow the regime is being recognized. That makes a
huge difference because you know, missus Rager, we has said
repeatedly that we're not asking for foreign boots on the ground,
we're not asking for foreign money or anything. All we're
(23:58):
asking for is to recogniz as the right of our movement,
our people, our resistance units, to end the rule of
the clerics, to fight the Iatolas and establish democracy in Iran.
And that's why we're hoping to see also others to
join in Europe and other places. And thank god, the
(24:19):
developments in the past few months has been very helpful,
favorable that the world is waking up that you know,
there is a way to end the threat of the Iatolas.
And at the end of the day, it's the overthrow
of the Molas by the people of Iran, and we're
on the right track, and we need to do work
(24:40):
to make sure that happens, to make sure that it's
not derailed. These molars, as you said, you know, they
insinuate it as though they are willing to sit down
and talk. But these molars are so tricky They are
masters of deception. They know how to derail everything, and
they know how to derail the protests, the uprising and
(25:00):
you know, and trap people. That's why it's so important
for the United States and anyone who is the decision
maker to understand that the clock in Iran is is
you know, you're going to go move forward for freedom
and democracy, not backwards. You know. The dictatorship of the show.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Yeah, no doubt. It is just extraordinary to watch, and
we are praying for all of those incredible protesters who
are fighting for freedom, for ron, for the world. Really
in so many ways, keep us posted, please, Alarisa and
your wonderful group they're led by missus Marion Rajave and
(25:40):
everything that you're doing just to defend freedom. It really
is extraordinary and expiring in so many ways. I think
the world's inspired by everything that they're seeing. And everybody
be sure to subscribe and share to this podcast. Alarisa
Jafarz today. Thank you so much for joining us, Alisa,
and let's pray for p Let's pray there's good news soon.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that it's always
a pleasure to be on your show and thank you
for the inspiration you bring, the information you provide for
your listeners. I think it's so important for the American
public to know the truth, to see all the realities first,
and appreciate that and everybody.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
I'll be back soon with another great addition of protecting America,
and of course you can catch me every weeknight ten
pm to midnight on the legendary w ABC Radio. This
is Rita Cosby and thanks for all you do to
protect America.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com