The International Committee for the Third Option (ICFTO) was founded on 13 March 2007. We believe that the greatest threat to current world peace is fundamentalism and more specifically Islamic fanaticism that with terror and violence is using innocent people as a means to achieve its political goals.
The heart of this fundamentalism is in Iran under the control of the Mullahs who direct all matters of extremism whether by financial or ideological means. If until some time ago it was only the main Iranian opposition who warned against this major threat, now no day passes that the international media does not report of a bombing, abduction, murder or assassination. On most occasions either immediately or within a short period of time the evidence always points to the involvement of the Iranian regime itself or its proxies and mercenaries in Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan. The result of this has been the loss of innocent lives in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, London, Spain, Afghanistan, Indonesia, USA, Argentina, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and this loss of lives will continue into the future.
What is the solution? Is it a further war with the ruling Mullahs and aiming at the heart of the monster? No. This would give them the desperate legitimacy to expand their fanaticism and recruit less informed Muslims, also giving them an open hand to misuse the sentiments of millions of young Muslims to forward its political goals. Significantly, there will also be a catastrophic loss of human life as a result.
Is appeasement and further dialogue with the Mullahs the solution? This is a longer road towards collision with the Mullahs of Iran that will be unavoidable. The only benefit from this policy of appeasement is that the Iranian regime is given more time to complete their nuclear ambitions and therefore create a new international power balance where there will be a higher prominence for destruction and even the threat of a third world war. We can also see from the fact that the Iranian regime is so much in support of such a policy that this policy is clearly of advantage to them.
There is a third option. (Confrontation with the ruling Mullahs in Iran through democratic change by the Iranian people and their organized resistance movement.) Confrontation with the ruling Mullahs in Iran through democratic change in Iran based on a democratic and tolerant Islam that seeks democracy in Iran and peace and friendship in the entire world. This option is available to us and it is the only peaceful solution to this threat.
Objectives of this Committee are as follows:
1. To form an ad-hoc umbrella for Iranian associations with the aim of assisting their activities in helping the victims of the violation of human rights in Iran
2. To provide a cultural umbrella to promote Iranian customs and culture, away from the extremist ideas of Islamic fanaticism
3. To initiate a cultural and educational public information campaign about the threats of Islamic fanaticism and the way of dealing with it.
4. To promote the Third option as the only viable and peaceful solution against the spread of Islamic fanaticism.
