The Belgian court found Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi guilty on terrorism charges last Thursday and sentenced him to 20 years in prison for attempting to bomb the 2018 Free Iran rally in France.
His three accomplices, Nasimeh Naami, Mehrdad Arefani, and Amir Saadouni, were also found guilty and sentenced to 18, 17, and 15 years of imprisonment, respectively.
This historic case, which is the first time an Iranian diplomat has been tried for terrorism, was the result of a two-and-a-half-year investigation by Belgium, especially momentous considering how the regime falsely tried to claim diplomatic immunity and used every tool in their arsenal to stop him facing accountability from lobbyists to lawyers to threats of future terrorist attacks.
Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Cover for State Terrorism
Of course, the regime has complained about the verdict, calling it “illegal” and “unjustifiable”, but they are just scared of what actions the West may take next because the Belgian prosecutors asserted that Assadi was working on behalf of the regime.
The Iranian Resistance wrote: “This verdict ended this false and hollow notion that terrorism is limited to some “rogue” elements or factions of the regime. It demonstrated the close collaboration between the regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thus, it became clear that the entire regime, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the so-called “moderate” government of Hassan Rouhani, and the MOIS, are generally involved in terrorism and particularly in the 2018 bomb plot, under the supervision of the regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.”
They called on Western countries, especially those in Europe, to take a firm stance on Iran and not appease the mullahs, lest it emboldens another terrorist attack. The Resistance advised that the West also take on board the regime’s demonisation campaign against the Resistance, which has long sought to undermine the freedom fighters at home and abroad.
Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: “The time has come for the European Union to take action. Silence and inaction under whatever pretext will only embolden the mullahs’ regime to continue its crimes and terrorism. The Iranian people expect that the EU revises its Iran policy and hold ruling theocracy accountable.”
The Resistance said that the West should stop negotiating with Iran and its officials, close the embassies, and expel Iranian agents from their soil if they want to stop the regime from committing another atrocity.