WEBVTT

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Dear participants,
ladies and gentlemen,

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it's a great honor and pleasure
to attend today's conference

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with so many
distinguished guests

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and under the great leadership
of Maryam Rajavi.

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As a Muslim woman,
Maryam has had to overcome

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extraordinary political, social,
cultural, and ideological challenges

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put in place by the ruling
regime in Iran.

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I commend Maryam's courage
and commitment

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to empower Iranian women.

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Under Maryam's leadership,

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women have risen to hold
key positions

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in the Iranian resistance
movement.

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I admire the work of the
NCRI Women's Committee,

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which I've been following closely
for quite some time.

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Iranian women have been on
the front lines of protest

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against Iran's Islamic regime.

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They have shown enormous courage,
intelligence, and strength.

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We, women around the world,
can be proud of them.

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But despite all their
heroic efforts,

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the Islamic Republic of Iran
continues restricting

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the rights of Iranian women

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and erasing them from
all levels of society.

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Iranian women continue to be
the first victims of the regime.

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We continue facing unimaginable
discriminatory laws,

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women not being able to travel
abroad or to obtain a passport

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without the written permission
of their male guardians,

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women being prohibited
from singing or dancing,

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or women facing up to 50
years in prison

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and receiving lashes for
the so-called bad hijab.

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I continue to be deeply affected

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by numerous reports
of sexual abuse

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that Iranian women have
witnessed in prison.

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Numerous women continue
being executed.

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There are serious concerns
over a rigid judicial system.

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Women are executed
for murder,

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but they are just victims
of horrendous domestic abuse.

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They will kill to defend themselves
or their children

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since they have no legal means
to end an abusive marriage.

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I could continue with other
examples of outrageous situations

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of women in Iran,

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but my time is limited,

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so I would like to take the
opportunity

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to pass on a very strong message
to my fellow Western women

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and Western governments.

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We must stand firm against
the policies of the Iranian regime

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that strangles women's freedoms.

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The words of Western women's
organizations and governments

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must be put in action.

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We must be there for Iranian women.

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Thank you for your attention.