Thousands attend anti-Iran rally in Paris

The rally was organised by the the Paris-based opposition National Council for Resistance in Iran (NCRI), a large opposition group, aimed to "expose the ‘moderate’ Iranian regime for what it really is: a horrific, brutal dictatorship which tortures its own people, destabilises the Middle East and continues to test nuclear weapons in spite of a UN resolution and last year’s nuclear deal."

Gulf News reported that the event was attended by Arab politicians, including former Egyptian foreign minister Mohammad Orabi and Azzam Al Ahmad, a member of the Fatah movement.

Among international supporters were former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.

One of the main speakers was Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal, former intelligence chief and diplomat.

Prince Turki chronicled the shared history between Persian and Arab people and said that the current tension was exceptional and down to Iranian interference in Arab affairs.

A number of people in the audience carried Iraqi and Syrian opposition flags, while others flew pre-1979 Iranian flags featuring a lion and sun.

Prince Turki said he would stand by the Iranian opposition in its efforts to remove what he called the "Khomeini cancer", paying tribute to NCRI leader Mariam Rajavi and her late husband and former leader Massoud Rajavi.

Al-Faisal also accused Iran of supporting Hamas, Islamic Jihad, sunni-militant group al-Qaeda and Shia Lebanese movement Hizballah to "create chaos" in the Middle East.  

In response to al-Faisal’s remarks, the Hamas movement said in a statement that the accusations were "abuse, serving the Israeli occupation", and described them as "alien to reality."

The Palestinian movement stressed that they adopt a centrist Islamic thought, open to all across the world, and have made an effort to disassociate itself from any conflicts or other enticements or agendas.