The conference was less notable for its proceedings than for its disruption by anti-regime Iranian exiles, and for the long prison sentences given to several participants upon their return to Iran.

"[3] Shouts of "death to the Islamic Republic" and "Mercenaries, go home" prevented the participants from speaking, while according to anti-regime Iran Press Service, "a girl appeared on the main tribune and stripped to almost her last piece except for an Islamic scarf, and later a man climbed on a chair and fully undressed, exhibiting pictures of the clerical leaders of the regime" [4] for the benefit of television viewers in Iran where the conference was being televised.

[8] On the first day, they tried to prevent the conference from starting by chanting slogans such as "Death to the Islamic Republic" and "Akhund (cleric) get lost!

[8] The organizers accepted to announce one-minute silence in "in memory of the thousands of victims of the Islamic Republic" before starting the conference, which BEWIAF had asked.

The organizers gave Mina Ahadi of the WCP fifteen minutes to talk at the rostrum, but it soon became evident that they were interested only in disrupting the meeting.

The Service complained that organizers Thomas Hartman, Mehdi Ja'fari-Gorzini, Bahman Nuroumand "were unaware of the weight, importance and complexities of the task," and lacked "any experience or skill for such a highly sensitive and touchy diplomatic performance."