3/16/01

The Honorable George W. Bush
The President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Bush:

We welcome your wise and humane decision of renewing the emergency declaration that ruled out dealing with the Islamic Regime of Iran (IRI). Based on credible reports including annual reports of State Department, this regime has been involved in terrorist activities inside and outside of Iran and has violated human rights on a daily basis. We commend you for recognizing the just struggle of the Iranian people for democracy and not giving legitimacy to their abusers. Of course, any attempt to establish relation with Iranian independent institutions in all possible areas is most welcome.

Iranian-Americans who stand for human rights in Iran, have realized that due to their insufficient participation in the political process of the US and not addressing the issues vital to all Iranians through more proper channels, the human rights issues are no longer at the forefront of the conditions set for relation with IRI. This shortcoming has had disastrous consequences and as a result, the terrorist regime is now threatening the life of both Iranian inside Iran and those who have sought refuge here for a better and safer life.

The supporters of IRI and their lobbyists have been trying to legitimize the IRI and justify the unconditional relation with it by masking its human rights abuses. They have tried to change the American public opinion in favor of the Islamic Regime by promoting officials like Kamal Kharazi, one of the masterminds of the American hostage takers in Tehran. They have ironically managed to provide these officials with the opportunity to address the US universities and lecture Iranians and Americans about civil society, dialog between civilization, and tolerance.

The Iranian-American who stand for human rights are very determined to use their power of votes and make sure that their concerns about the increased activities of the Islamic Regime in the US and any unconditional relation with it are heard.

Mr. President: We hope that your administration remains concerned about the terrorist nature of the Islamic regime and will stand by those who believe that the US relations with the Islamic Regime of Iran must be contingent upon the complete observation of human rights in Iran as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Respectfully,

Mohammad Parvin, Executive Director
MEHR Foundation