Joe Lieberman, the former US senator, who ran as the Democratic nominee for vice-president in the 2000 election and became the first Jewish candidate on a major-party ticket for the White House, alongside presidential candidate Al Gore, was a unique politician. His death at the age of 82 following a fall at his home in New York, has triggered a wave of tributes from around the world. Serving as the senator for Connecticut for four terms, Joe Liberman was renowned for his ability to make friends and form alliances on both sides of the party-political divide. He was a man of strong convictions, contentedly embracing radical centre-right views alongside liberal centre-left beliefs. He refused to be labelled and on one occasion stated that he did “not always fit comfortably into conventional political boxes”.
A close friend of Republican senator John McCain, Senator Lieberman nevertheless was a keen supporter of gay rights, civil rights and environmental causes that often won him the praise of many Democrats. On foreign policy, one of his key passions was to see freedom, justice and democracy restored to the Iranian people. He travelled extensively to Europe and the Middle East to give voice to this conviction, addressing major rallies and meetings organised by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and their charismatic leader Mrs Maryam Rajavi, who was a firm friend and admirer of the former Connecticut senator.
In June last year, in a forthright attack on the oppressive theocratic government in Tehran, he told the Free Iran world summit in Paris: “We can never acknowledge that there is no alternative to a totalitarian government, certainly not in Iran, and we know there is an alternative. It is the people of Iran. It is a democratic republic, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and Iran is closer to that today than ever before because the regime is weaker than it’s ever been before.” He continued: “There is no doubt, as others have said, and I’ll say it briefly, that the tide of history is moving in Iran toward freedom, toward the Resistance, toward the NCRI, MEK, and against the tyranny of the mullahs in Tehran”.
Joe Lieberman told the major rally in Paris: “The NCRI and MEK have earned the right through the leadership of Massoud Rajavi to Maryam Rajavi, decades of fighting against the Shah, against the Ayatollahs, to lead the transition to freedom. They have earned it, but I will tell you this, they are ready for it. We have talked a lot today, as we should always, about the Ten-Point Plan of Mr. Rajavi. It’s a great plan, a plan for freedom, equality, opportunity for the people of Iran. It’s one that every civilized democratic nation in the world should enthusiastically support”.
Senator Lieberman was also a fierce critic of western appeasement of the mullahs’ theocratic regime and protested against the Biden administration’s lifting of sanctions allowing the release of billions of dollars of frozen assets. Quoting one of the great founding fathers of the USA he said: “Jefferson suggested these words – Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. So today, America must stand against the tyrants with God and with the Iranian people”. Senator Lieberman wanted to see Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi, indicted for crimes and against humanity and human rights abuse and brought before the International Court in the Hague.
Joe Lieberman longed for the day he could join the Iranian people in a great freedom march in Tehran following the overthrow of the tyrannical mullahs’ regime. Sadly, his sudden death will deprive him of that wish, although he will certainly be there in spirit on that momentous day.