Tackling Disinformation
Experts Shed Light on Iran Policy at Paris Conference
The nationwide uprisings after the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran have disrupted the power dynamics between the Iranian people and the state, offering valuable insights into the aspirations of the majority of Iranians.
Maryam Rajavi, The President-elect of the NCRI
Jalal Arani is a UK-based Iran Analyst, Researcher, and Policy Advisor with extensive experience in Iranian politics and the Middle East.
He offers insightful analysis of the complex issues facing Iran today and is well-connected to the Iranian diaspora in the UK and Europe.
Paris
Distinguished politicians and national security experts from both sides of the Atlantic recently convened in Paris for a pivotal conference on June 30, aiming to address the pressing issue of the popular uprising in Iran and the urgent need for an alternative and effective Western policy towards the regime.
The nationwide uprisings after the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran have disrupted the power dynamics between the Iranian people and the state, offering valuable insights into the aspirations of the majority of Iranians. This deeper understanding within the international community has shed light on their desires. However, in response to what the Iranian regime perceives as a threat to its survival, it has launched a complex and multifaceted disinformation campaign, aiming to create the illusion of successfully quelling dissent both domestically and abroad.
The conference consisted of four distinct panels, each focused on different facets of the truth surrounding the clerical regime and its disinformation tactics. The panel titled "Disinformation and Its Impact on Western Policy on Iran" brought together esteemed participants, including former FBI director Louie Freeh, former leader of the Canadian Conservative Party Candice Bergen, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr., British MP Steve McCabe, and former MEP Struan Stevenson. Their insightful contributions were broadcasted live via satellite link inside Iran and translated into five languages for a global audience.
Steve McCabe MP, a member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, underscored the regime's fundamental reliance on falsehoods, propaganda, and covert activities. He discussed the influence of disinformation across both left-wing and right-wing political spheres, highlighting instances of demonization in the media. McCabe stressed the importance of recognizing the regime for what it truly is—a group of gangsters—and advocated for the banning of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Candice Bergen, former Leader of the Canadian Conservative Party, shared her personal encounter with disinformation and misinformation after attending a women's conference organized by the NCRI Women's Committee in Brussels. Bergen stressed the importance of rejecting lies and half-truths, advocating for truthfulness and accountability while standing up against disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting the regime's opponents.
Mr. Struan Stevenson, former MEP, highlighted the regime's ongoing demonization campaign against the opposition, asserting that it is baseless propaganda. He called on conference attendees to disregard these false narratives and emphasized the support of 119 ex-world leaders who have signed a statement endorsing the Iranian people's right to rise up against the tyrannical regime and backing the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
Louis Freeh, former Director of the FBI, shed light on the challenges faced in removing the NCRI and the MEK from the terrorist list, due to embedded propaganda. He emphasized the necessity of promoting opposition media and preserving free speech to counter disinformation and misinformation effectively.
Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr., former Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, presented his research that revealed an entirely different narrative surrounding the resistance and the regime, challenging commonly held misconceptions. Bloomfield urged journalists to cease repeating false information without fact-checking, emphasizing the significance of accurate reporting.
The conference effectively underscored the detrimental impact of disinformation on Western policy towards Iran. It provided a platform for experts to expose the false narratives propagated by the regime while emphasizing the significance of accurate information, unity, and support for a democratic Iran. The insights shared during the conference contribute to a more informed approach in countering disinformation and shaping effective Western policies that align with the aspirations of the Iranian people.
