tonight and other recent oral arguments all this week at nine: 30 p.m. eastern on c-span. you can find all of our supreme court coverage on our website, c-span.org/supreme court. >> the house will be in order. >> this year, c-span celebrates 45 years of governing congress like no other -- of covering congress like no other. since 1979 we have been your primary source for covering capitol hill. taking you to where the policies are debated and sided with the support of america's cable company. c-span, 45 years and counting, powered by cable. >> iranian human rights activist and journalist delivered a speech on capitol hill morning about the iranian government's threat to western democracies. his remarks were hosted by the middle east forum.

>> good afternoon, everyone. thank you for coming to this event put on by the middle east forum. we are think tank headquartered out of washington d.c. and philadelphia, pennsylvania. we have offices in jerusalem, jordan and throughout the middle east. the organization was started by daniel pipes in 1994 and looks forward to discussing the issues concerning the iranian

opposition, movement for democracy in iran and a people led change of government in that country. before we begin, a few words about the organization, and i will introduce cliff smith. one of our partners is here. the middle east form is not just an organization that writes we are very much active in the making of policy and adopting recommendations that are not just brought from policymakers in washington but we hear what is going on in the region. last year fellows have seen the impact of a withdrawal from syria. also what it means for turkey and the different minority groups affected by the civil war for the last 13 years. he did the same thing in iraq, iran and very much what is going on in israel.

today's event is pressing into due to the fact that we have a member of the iranian opposition here that doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. i think these are the kind of people we want to bring to washington to policy members and members of capitol hill staff and members of congress and ultimately to the white house where decisions on foreign policy are made. i employ you to listen to today's conversation, i ask you to ask the hard questions, and regardless of what the answers are today, i hope you will take the information he provides, a first-person account about the iranian opposition, and get a better understanding of what is going on in tehran beyond the headlines. cliff smith.

mr. smith: nice to meet you all, i am a director of the washington project for the middle east forum. we work with members of congress, the administration, law enforcement to protect america and its allies from a middle east threat. in my view any think everybody in the middle east forum, one of the closest allies of the u.s. is the iranian people. that is distinct from the iranian regime, which has strangled his people for 45 years, it has truly divided and curbed its people for decades. hence what we -- why we are holding this event. vahid beheshti is a former political prisoner, very active

in u.k. politics, including asking the u.k. to take iranian politics seriously. he went to israel and became the first iranian opposition leader to speak at the knesset. i have the honor of introducing him to policymakers here. without further ado, welcome vahid. [applause] mr. beheshti: thank you everyone for being here. first, thank you to the middle east forum for hosting this important event at this crucial moment.

i think we are all living in a very sensitive and crucial moment of history. for the past 18 years, i dedicated my life fighting the iranian regime in past years i risked my life because i know the threat of the iranian regime, i know the reality, i know their tactics, i know how they deceive politicians and decision-makers in the u.s. last year in february of 2023i

started a hunger strike in front of the u.k. foreign office and it lasted 72 days. on day 702i was two weeks in the hospital. [indiscernible] they have done everything in their power to not -- if i am not safe in front of the foreign office in the u.k., i will not be safe anywhere in the u.k. i went back to my camp for more than a year.

we haven't been successful in our demand to designate rgc as a terrorist organization in the u.k. i will talk about that later. the second time i risked my life, 11 days after october 7, about 300 hamas supporters attacked our town. there were 120, 130 police officers, and if not for them i wouldn't be here. those police officers came to the foreign office and save my life. so i sacrificed a lot and i am

proud of that. i continue to do that because i know the threat of the iranian regime. i know their ideology, i know their tactics, i know their principles. their main mission -- let me put it this way they think they have a divine mission and i'm not revealing anything here to you guys, they are saying this publicly. if you listen, they are claiming they are here today to complete the incomplete mission of the

prophet muhammad. they claim this is turning a modern world into a caliphate. the past for years -- past few years, some politicians in the u.k. set i was exaggerating and now they say they made a mistake. they have a mentality from the muslim brotherhood. if you study the books from the founders of the muslim brotherhood, you see clearly they say our mission is to turn the modern world into the islamic state, and to do that we have to destroy that modern world.

so the foundation says. because they believe they have this mission, they are really active in the region. they have two proxies in the reason -- in the region. they created all these so-called charities, religious centers, mosques in the u.s. and europe. today i'm not here mainly for iranians and what the people of iran know, they are doing everything they can to take the

country back and eventually succeed. they know the threat. [indiscernible] iran is behind all of this. mainly today i'm here for -- to communicate the threat of the iranian regime to the u.s. and europe. the iranian regime after the war with iraq, they target us because they know for their mission, have this in your mind,

the mission is to turn us into islamic state. they cannot do that without a military force and they have infiltrated internally to destroy us from within, to radicalize our youth and turn them into a sleeper cell. to turn them into the means of our values of democracy and humanity which we have here, because this is their mission. they created all of these groups of lobbies to influence politicians and decision makers.

the result of that is they affect the mystic and foreign pot -- domestic and foreign policy. we are paralyzed in front of the hostage taking policy for four decades. blatantly they take our citizens hostage and force us to sit around a table and negotiate with them and provide what they require there is an example three weeks before october 7. the u.s. released 6 billion in funds for releasing five hostages. of course hamas is going to take 250 hostages this time.

how much can they take for 250? we don't know them or maybe we don't want to know them. the other example is constantly attacking the strategy companies of the u.s. and europe. this is not me claiming this, intelligence agencies are constantly reinforcing this. a campaign of intimidation against anybody who are brave enough to stand against them. basically exporting their ideology from iran to here.

they forced iran's national tv station to shut their office in london for nine months. and move from london to d.c. in london they came back with almost 120 journalists, we can't guarantee your safety here because there are agents freely walking in the streets of london. we had a report of a terrorist plot against a very influential journalist this is how they exploit the ideology. our decision-makers here, who

unfortunately are focused on short-term plans and interests and benefits, they have a long-term plan and they invest in this plan. this is the iranian regime's constant message, we have to work on youth in europe and america and that's what they are doing. look at the report, 14, 16 miles from here in d.c. they had a report that mosque is brainwashing the youth in d.c. the teacher asked -- in d.c. this is happening here.

and they are constantly working on our politicians to give them the wrong advice. i'm in front of the foreign office in the u.k., i see their agents that walk into the foreign office constantly. this is a problem we are facing in europe and the u.s. and it is an existential threat. if you don't take it seriously it will be too late. that's the problem. if you are born here, you are born in freedom, in great society, in democracy. i'm not going to dismiss that that it is hard to understand the mentality they have. you have to know this monster.

otherwise we are losing the battle. look at our policies, our actions. while you are paralyzed in front of houthis who disrupt global trade clearly in the red sea that affects each one of your lives. here in the u.s., and america. what are you doing about it? none of our actions and policies are affected. we are paralyzed. houthis don't have bread to eat, where they get these drones and missiles to attack our commercial trips -- commercial ships in the red sea and global trade? we don't know them. by targeting empty houthis bases

and houses, after 10 days they committed all the crimes in the red sea. because we don't know the nature of the regime we are sending the message, we are not going to help you. this is what we've been doing for years. they come forward, they come forward, they come forward. we have to admit we have a problem here. if we say we don't have a problem, we will not look for a solution. the iranian regime makes it look like it is very hard to confront them.

with all these proxies and influence in our society. controlling the whole region -- iraq, syria, lebanon, yemen. that is their strength. but there is a weakness, which i will talk about. before i go to that, just imagine this regime, where their ideology is to export their ideology, they are shouting that we have to turn the modern world into islamic state, imagine this people regime gaining access to nuclear attack.

north korea have nuclear weapons only to protect themselves. that is their winning card. the iranian regime mentality and ideology is to export their ideology. if they gain access to nuclear weapons, they will use them. the state they will use them against will be israel. they are working really hard to access nuclear weapons. this evil regime -- and it is really easy to help israel to

attack them. how? the key is inside of iran, not in the proxies. if we engage ourselves with the proxies, this is what they want. they are really good, they are excellent in proxy wars, influencing our society. how they could mobilize over 1000 people in london. it becomes a little bit obvious what they've done to our society for 35 years.

[indiscernible] we are welcoming them to our society and we hold events and brainwash them and influence our decisions. we are really open to them. they use democracy against democracy, that's how they destroy us from within. this is not me as opposition my will give you two names. the first is a great figure of the regime from the beginning of the revolution in 1979.

he was part of the regime from the beginning. four weeks ago when they have the election for the parliament, he was there. this election was historical, but this is not me saying that. another name used to run the tehran newspaper. he is saying that it is rotten from inside. the regime is trying to confuse us, look at how strong the regime is. you can't touch them, the region will be in ruin, but that is

wrong. they have no legitimacy at all inside of iran. we have 18 million iranians on the ground in iran who are thirsty for freedom and moxie for 45 years -- and the mocker see for 45 years. they have had many uprisings but they weren't successful because of the level of brutality and barbarism of this regime. we have this great military of iranians on the ground to do the job for us, for them and the world and finish the job.

get the head of terrorism inside of iran. not in israel or in the region, and iran. -- in iran. what do they need from us? before i get to that and my trip to israel, on the first iranian to give a speech in knesset in israel. the majority of iranians outside picked at what i said in the knesset. i said you should not be afraid to target the rgc in iran.

then we will see how the iranian people embrace the opportunity and finish the job for us. when i said that, it was chaos because i hit the target. all of the iranian regime agents who wear a mask for the opposition started attacking me for two weeks nonstop until the iranian people in iran, they hung a five meters banner in farsi and english, this is our voice, we stand with israel. that stopped the attack, a massive change from inside iran. they hung the banner in tehran. in response to my statement at

the israel knesset. they said this is the message to israel. underneath that, "bibi, we are ready." this is what the iranian people want, first, stop negotiating with the regime. secondly, give them the support they need. just a fraction of the budget we are extending in war with proxies we give to the iranian people. military support. for a few months i'm constantly repeating military support and they misinterpret my statements. what do i mean by military support?

target rgc. they are training soldiers in the region. we can target the root of this terrorism in the region. we have all the world to defend ourselves and target rgc. target military sites inside iran. they really close to a nuclear weapon and reaching international law, all the agreements. for the first time, if i'm right i think it was 2002, nuclear

activity of the regime was revealed. in 2016, we had jcpoa, the nuclear agreement. why did they have four nuclear agreements? because the regime is constantly breaching, and they breached the jcpoa funnel they signed that and they are doing every thing they can to reach nuclear weapons. we can stop them and target their side. we sent a message to the iranians, we are with you, and give them motivation and support and put great fear in the regime that is a force behind the iranian people. just have this in your mind.

in the next 24 hours we announce we will target ill at terry basis -- target military bases. men of the rgc another's they don't believe in the regime. if there's going to be a price for them, they will separate themselves from the regime. i said what is the shortest way? thank you and i am open to any questions now. [applause] >> if anybody has any questions,

let me know. >> first of all, i wanted to thank you for being here today, it was incredible to hear from you. i'm currently a masters student studying national security and am very interested in middle eastern history and politics. my question for you, i'm curious to hear your perspective on the 10 point plan and how your perspective would be to policymakers in the u.s. and help the iranian people achieve those goals. mr. beheshti: that's a interesting and good question because that's one of the areas where the regime works a lot on that.

first of all, that's why from the beginning i started my hunger strike, under great pressure to -- i said my priority is overthrowing the regime first. before overthrowing the regime, you don't have anything to argue and debate. the group fighting with the regime has paid a great price so far. they have their own ideology but they are fighting the regime. i believe all the different groups should put their hands together.

regardless of what kind of ideology they have, in order to first overthrow the regime. this was one of the great moments, on day 66 of my hunger strike, there was a rally from the london eye to number 10 downing street. all the different groups of opposition. around 10,000 people turned up to that protest and that was only london. in another eight countries they said yes to my call for that protest. not because i am someone special. the only cause i have and i will keep it until we overthrow the

regime, is i don't affiliate myself with any political group. i'm constantly repeating my priority is overthrowing the regime because this is the priority of the iranian people inside iran. the iranian people will choose at the ballot box after we over throw the regime. >> hello. we've seen since 2009, the regime has all the guns and weapons and it's very difficult to rise up against of them. do you have any way of gauging what percentage of the population would rise up and how they would fight the regime? mr. beheshti: very good question

. 90% of iranians are radically against this regime and they want the regime to be destroyed now. as of yesterday. that's coming from the extremes i have and my connections, i'm constantly connected to different groups in different cities. i wouldn't call any group in iran minority, i wouldn't

believe any numbers from the regime. i am in connection with the leaders that have fought against this regime. from religious groups, nonbeliever groups, from ethnic. how can we prepare the environment and conditions for 2 million iranians to get together in tehran? because that's what we need to overthrow the regime. that happened in 2009, but we had the wrong leader. our leader was part of the regime. we had 3 million, 4 million people in the streets. they were in the streets for a few hours and then they went back home.

people in iran shouted are you with them or us? obama decided to talk with the ayatollah behind-the-scenes. what i say is stop negotiating with the regime and target the military and nuclear sites in iran, that since the right signal. the people of iran are very unpredictable, they might raise up tomorrow. everything is ready for that. but to succeed and overthrow the regime, you need support from the international community.

that's why i am running everywhere after my hunger strike. i went to ukraine, israel and that's why i'm here. they set up many meetings for me to talk to as many decision-makers to give them this information first hand. that's how we can do that. >> part of our job is going around to offices and educating them on the situation in iran. however, from both sides of the out, especially following the iraq war, there is a repulsion to any sort of conflict in the middle east, especially when it comes to striking iranian targets inside iran. how do you think you can get

over that hurdle? is it possible and how? mr. beheshti: thank you for that question. what do you think now? what situation are we in in the middle east now? this is what they want us to think -- if you touch us, it will escalate. but we saw during the trump administration, took out the money and nothing happened. iranian people celebrated in iran and nothing happened. the iranian regime is a paper tiger. they are not what they are trying to show others. and you need to understand that, and we need to attack them inside iran.

by attacking them, we avoid a big war. imagine if they are gaining access to nuclear weapons and they use it against israel, it will be nuclear war. to avoid that, we need to destroy terrorism by supporting the iranian people to do the job for us. >> anybody else? >> two more questions. one, a follow-up. i'm curious for my last question, do you believe there is an advantage to uniting the opposition parties in the u.k. and others before getting rid of the iranian regime or would that

sort itself out afterward? and i forgot my second question. mr. beheshti: i will answer the first question and maybe you will remember the second question. that's the ideal situation. i'm trying everything in my hand to do that, to reach all of them and make them understand, this is not the time to fight each other. this is the time to unite. this is the foundation of democracy. this group says and the other group says -- they have their opinion. we are not there to change each other, but to accept each other

for who they are and then the people of iran decide what kind of system they want and who they want in their government. but that is the situation, before they overthrow the regime , it's not a good situation to be in. i'm going to be criticized for saying all of this but i don't care. we need good foundations, organizations with history to invite all iranians and put them at one table and ask them to listen to each other and agree on basic -- a basic thing, which

is overthrowing the regime and what we do after that. >> thank you for coming, i've enjoyed everything you had to say. you were talking about how iranian proxies are having agree just influence on u.s. youth especially in regards to the public response to the israel-hamas war. in what terms do you think we can sort of communicate the dangers of iran's proxy and how it doesn't serve the best interests of globalism. despite that, the u.s. might be

upset with bush era policies, but iran is replicating that, and how best to get the message across successfully while not trying to convince them to focus on other areas? mr. beheshti: the iranian regime is expert in apr war -- a pr war. they convinced hamas to massacre people and know they are turning a terrorist organization into a victim. to be fair, they did a good job on pr. this is not the result of one or two years, it is 35 years. they invest a lot.

they are constantly working on this issue. one of the things i said was this, i think they planned the pr war at least one year before october 7. they miscalculated, they thought -- three weeks before october 7, we were very close to normalizations of relationships between israel and saudi arabia. the iranian regime invited

neighbors to not -- he said something like that. three days later, hamas attacked israel, october the seventh. they thought by doing that, creating a massive fear between arab countries and israelis, israel will retaliate. they thought by the pr war they could force the international community to cease fire. that was a miscalculation, they could not get a cease fire. when they saw they were losing hamas, they brought in hezbollah

and the houthis. as i said, they are excellent at a proxy war. but to communicate the threat of proxies is the wrong subject to go in, you have to communicate the threat of the head, not the tentacle. if you hit the head, the proxy will be dried out in two months, there will be no funds. with no funds the proxy will not do anything after that. the main thing is to communicate the threat of the iranian regime and they communicate here, they are brainwashing our youth and influencing politicians and decision-makers here. and unfortunately the politicians are not experienced to know the mentality. you have to go through a lot.

i think i have gone through a lot. >> one question for you, you speak about the violent proxies, the militia groups and terror organizations in the middle east. can you elaborate on nonviolent or violent adjacent proxy groups like the ministry of intelligence in vienna, where the larger network exists in europe and to a lesser extent in the united states and how that soft power delivers the messaging of the regime? mr. beheshti: that's a very good question, thank you. they are more dangerous than the other proxies. they are working on our decision-makers and society from within.

they have these groups of proxies outside, but they have these other proxies that work within. this is what they are doing. that's why i'm really emphasizing on these proxies. they are opening the line and talking to our decision-makers. >> thank you. [applause] >> two quick announcements, we have another d.c. event on may 13, israel memorial day. the israelis juxtaposed israel

memorial day right into independence day, so the evening of may 13 we will have a conference in washington. i know the price point is $600 a person, but for hill staffers and young professionals we have scholarships to cover the price of the conference. susanna, who is right outside the door, she has information. we also have the hill lobbying day where we will discuss the agenda. we have three things we will ask members to do, the first is to encourage an investigation into american financing of iranian proxies, we've identified over $268 million that's come from 51 c3 -- 501(c)(3) organizations. the second thing we will focus on is she a malicious -- shia

militias. they've been responsible for hundreds of injuries, including traumatic brain injuries as a result of american soldiers hit by rockets and missiles fired by iranian proxies. and the third thing is a piece of legislation i believe, the deterrent act, on the nonviolent side, the effort to fight foreign regimes, align foreign actors, to influence higher education. it increases the amount of oversight of foreign donations to american colleges and universities. right now you just have to give the name of the country and the amount of money. it's not just the middle east, it's also china and other actors trying to influence the american body politic.

thank you for attending today and i look forward to seeing you at our next event. [applause] [chatter] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy, visit ncicap.org] [indistinct conversations]♪

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