On December 12, 2024, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), addressed a call conference organized by the United States Senate. In her speech, Mrs. Rajavi outlined the roadmap for establishing a free and democratic society in Iran, emphasized the pivotal role of the Iranian Resistance, and highlighted the responsibility of the international community in supporting the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom.
A Timely Conference and a Strategic Shift
Mrs. Rajavi opened her remarks by acknowledging the timeliness of the conference in promoting a correct policy toward Iran. Recent regional developments, including the overthrow of the Syrian dictatorship, have significantly weakened the Iranian regime’s influence. Hezbollah, its primary proxy force in Lebanon, has also suffered substantial setbacks.
“The world witnessed how Assad’s heavily armed forces and tens of thousands of Quds Force proxies melted like snow under the summer sun,” Mrs. Rajavi stated, emphasizing the vulnerability of the Iranian regime’s oppressive apparatus. She underscored that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and other repressive forces cannot withstand the anger of the Iranian people and the nationwide uprisings that have erupted in recent years.
Khamenei: A Strategic Loser
Mrs. Rajavi criticized Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for his reliance on regional wars to divert attention from domestic crises and suppress dissent. She described these wars as the desperate actions of a dictatorship on the brink of collapse. However, this strategy has backfired, leaving the regime as the “strategic loser.”
Despite severe repression, the organized resistance in Iran, led by Resistance Units, has grown stronger. Over the past year, the resistance has demonstrated its resilience through thousands of activities, even as the regime has responded with brutal measures, including death sentences for nine supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Policy Change Toward Iran
Mrs. Rajavi highlighted the consistent failure of past U.S. efforts to persuade the Iranian regime to abandon terrorism, destabilization, and its nuclear ambitions. “The regime’s response has always been the same: deception, blackmail, hostage-taking, and escalating aggression,” she noted. She proposed a clear solution: the overthrow of the regime by the Iranian people and the Resistance.
She called on the international community, especially the United States, to:
- Recognize the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the regime.
- Acknowledge the decisive role of the Iranian Resistance.
- Hold the regime accountable for domestic repression, terrorism, warmongering, and nuclear weapons development.
A Viable Alternative: The NCRI’s Roadmap
Mrs. Rajavi reassured the audience that the Iranian Resistance has a practical plan for regime change and the establishment of a democratic society.
She detailed the NCRI’s post-regime roadmap:
- Formation of a provisional government for six months to oversee free and fair elections for a Constituent Assembly.
- Transfer of power to the Assembly, which will elect a new government tasked with drafting a constitution for the new republic.
- Emphasis on democratic principles, including the separation of religion and state, equal rights for women and ethnic groups, freedom of religion, and a non-nuclear Iran.
“Our goal is not to seize power but to restore it to its rightful owners—the people of Iran,” she emphasized.
A Message of Hope and Solidarity
Concluding her speech, Mrs. Rajavi extended her gratitude to U.S. lawmakers and friends of the Iranian people for their continued support. She conveyed her best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, underscoring the shared commitment to a future of peace, freedom, and democracy in Iran.
This historic address reinforced the growing momentum for change in Iran, signaling a decisive moment for both the Iranian Resistance and the international community in their shared quest for a free and democratic Iran.
