June 20 marks the outbreak of the Iranian people’s resistance for freedom and democracy in 1981. From the start, women placed themselves at the forefront of the popular movement against the religious dictatorship.

On Sunday evening, a large gathering was held in Ashraf 3, in presence of Maryam Rajavi, president- elected of the National Council of Iranian Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and leader of the largest Iranian opposition group, MEK Iran.

The gathering was broadcasted live with thousands supporters of the MEK Iran and NCRI around the world. More than half a million MEK Iran supporters staged a demonstration in Tehran on June 20, 1981, to protest the crackdown on freedoms.

In this rally, Mrs. Rajavi spoke about the national boycott of the ballot by the Iranian people, deeming it worthy of historic congratulations.

In it is also important to note that, since the Shah’s time until today, the Generation Equality has been playng an important role in the Iranian people’s resistance for freedom. Women who sacrificed their lives and their freedom in the 1970s, paved the way for large-scale participation of women in the movement. Then, in the 1980s, another generation of women arrived, whose sacrifices and rebellious struggle shook the foundations of the mullahs' misogynist regime.

And then the world saw the following generations of courageous Iranian women and girls, some of them members of the MEK Iran, who pursued this torturous and bloody path during the uprisings of 1999, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The generation equality will continue to be a part of the story in this way until the overthrow of the misogynistic regime of the mullahs and the dawn of true freedom in Iran.

That’s why this anniversary is celebrated and a tribute is paid to the memory of tens of thousands of women, most of them members of the MEK Iran who gave their lives for freedom and persisted in wanting to establish democracy. They have chosen to resist in honor at any cost, not to bow to tyranny and to become shining stars that light up the dark night this nation is going through.

Maryam Rajavi has stated on the gathering that June 20 was the extension of the popular and freedom-loving ideals of the 1979 Revolution. The MEK Iran did everything they possibly could, exercising unprecedented discipline and extraordinary tolerance – tolerance truly beyond anyone’s limits.

On Sunday, supporters of the MEK Iran and the Iranian Resistance also organized street actions in the capitals and major cities of Europe, such as Berlin, London, Vienna, Cologne, Oslo, Geneva, etc. They called on the international community to end all relations and complacency with a power whose president is one of the great criminals against humanity of contemporary times.