November 4, 2001

Senator Arlen Specter

600 Arch Street, Suite 9400

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Dear Senator Specter:

Your recent friendly meeting with the representative of Islamic Regime of Iran (IRI) was along the puzzling U.S. policy of appeasement towards the Islamic Regime of Iran (IRI), and was very uncharacteristic of you. As you well know, IRI is on the top of the list of terrorist regimes of State Department and the U.S. Federal court has voted seven times to condemn this regime for its terrorist activities against the U.S. citizens (Please see the attachment for partial list of IRI’s Terrorist Activities). This regime has been terrorizing Iranian people for 22 years, has murdered thousands of dissidents, and has assassinated many opposition leaders abroad and was condemned at Berlin Court for terrorist activities. 

The act of terrorism and all atrocities committed by this regime are not the arbitrary act of some hard liners within the regime. It is the law of the land and written into the constitution if this regime and obeyed by all elements including the President of this regime and the West’s darling, Mr. Khatami. For example, the number of the people stoned to death has been the highest during the presidency of Khatami, who preaches dialogue of “civilizations”. This “moderate” figure is the one who has repeatedly and proudly declared Khomeini, the mastermind of all bloodsheds in Iran, as his mentor. Therefore, the hollow gestures, nice words, and appealing smiles of this or that so-called “MODERATE” should not be taken seriously.

With all due respect, your friendly meeting with the representative of a terrorist regime violates the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act that prohibits any sort of help to terrorists by all individuals and groups. The least that is expected from the lawmakers and those who intend to enforce the Terrorism Act firmer than ever is that they would also abide by these rules and don’t recognize, help, or legitimize the terrorist regime of Iran and their representatives.

The demand of the freedom loving Iranian people is that the world community not to help, recognize, and legitimize this regime and let their struggle for democracy prevail. Our world needs a universal definition of terrorism that would be applied indiscriminately. We also need an international body, like International Criminal Court (ICC) with universal jurisdiction the body qualified to define the act of terrorism and   punish the terrorists could only be an International body like International Criminal Court. If determined to fight terrorism in a fundamental way, US should ratify the ICC treaty without any delay and work with other nations to improve its major obstacle of retroactivity. The Helm proposal that intends to kill ICC should be rejected categorically.

Based on your past excellent record in defense of democracy, we still hope that instead of siding with Islamic Terrorist Regime of Iran and hosting its representatives, you would facilitate the struggle of organizations like MEHR Foundation, an Iranian Human Rights group in the U.S., that is trying to bring to justice those who have committed crimes against Iranian people and have been involved in terrorism abroad. This is the will of many Iranians, Iranian/Americans and Americans as reflected in the petitions collected by MEHR Foundation. These petitions were mailed to you under a separate cover.

Respectfully,

Mohammad Parvin, Ph.D.

Executive Director

MEHR Foundation