Video Message by
Senator Jeane Shaheen (D-NH)

Chair, Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Foreign Relations Committee & Senior Member, Armed Service Committee & Appropriations Committee

Hello. I’m U.S. Senator Jean Shaheen, and I’m delighted to join the tens of thousands of people who are participating in this conference. This gathering could not come at a more critical time. Around the world democracy is under attack. In Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Hong Kong, citizens are defending their rights against encroaching autocracy, and no one knows better what is needed to stand up to despotism than the people of Iran. For decades, the brave people of Iran have resisted the tyranny of unelected leaders. Women have fought oppression, demanding access to all spaces in society and taking off their hijabs in defiance of laws dictating their dress. People from all walks of life have taken to the streets to demand the freedom and dignity that is being denied to them.
That fight has reached a crescendo as farmers, teachers, nurses, and physicians protest in defiance of police crackdowns, beatings, and unlawful detentions. The people of Iran know well the dedication and perseverance needed to stand up to autocracy. The United States stands with you in the fight for freedom and democracy. We support the right of a citizenry to determine your own futures and elect a government that is representative of your needs and your values. Those tenets are a fundamental pillar of U.S. foreign policy.
Maryam Rajavi, thank you for your continued leadership, and to those gathered in person and those joining from around the world, including from Ashraf 3 in Albania and across Iran, thank you for your continued dedication and belief in democracy and freedom. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you as we strive for universal freedoms and human rights for all.
Thank you.