Iranian Americans and international supporters gather in Washington, DC, backing the NCRI and Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan while condemning executions, repression, and dictatorship in all forms in Iran.
Thousands of Iranian Americans and supporters of the Iranian Resistance gathered in Washington, DC, on May 16, 2026, for a major “Free Iran” rally and march condemning the Iranian regime’s executions of political prisoners and expressing support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its democratic alternative for Iran.
Participants carried Iranian flags and banners supporting democracy, human rights, and the end of executions in Iran. Speakers from political, military, Kurdish, and youth activist backgrounds addressed the crowd, emphasizing that the Iranian people reject both the ruling theocracy and any return to monarchy.
The rally repeatedly highlighted support for NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi and her Ten-Point Plan, which advocates secular democracy, free elections, gender equality, separation of religion and state, abolition of the death penalty, and a non-nuclear Iran.
Patrick J. Kennedy: “The Cause of Freedom Is Alive”
Former U.S. Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy described the rally as proof that “tyranny has not prevailed” and praised the organized resistance movement confronting the Iranian regime.
Kennedy honored executed PMOI-MEK members Vahid Bani Amerian and Abolhassan Montazer, who were executed on April 4, 2026, in Ghezel Hesar prison. He said their executions reflected the regime’s fear of another nationwide uprising.
“A regime that feels secure does not rush political prisoners to the gallows,” Kennedy declared. “These executions reveal not strength, but a deep-seated, paralyzing fear.”
He praised the Resistance Units operating across Iran and argued that the Iranian people reject dictatorship in all forms.
“The message of the Iranian people is simple: Iran belongs to the people, not the tyrant—not to monarchs, and not to those who exploit religion to justify oppression,” he said.
Kennedy also criticized supporters of Reza Pahlavi and condemned the glorification of SAVAK, the Shah’s secret police, stating that Iranians reject both theocracy and monarchy.
Carla H. Sands: “The Iranian Resistance Has Shattered This Lie”
Former U.S. Ambassador Carla H. Sands praised the Iranian Resistance as a disciplined democratic movement capable of leading political change in Iran.
She honored executed MEK prisoners and said their resistance transformed executions into symbols of defiance.
“The regime believed it was sending a message of fear, but instead, these heroes sang a message of immortality,” she said.
Sands strongly criticized Western appeasement policies toward Tehran and argued that the existence of the NCRI disproves claims that the only alternatives to the current regime are chaos or instability.
“The Iranian Resistance has shattered this lie,” she stated.
She also warned against efforts to restore monarchy in Iran, criticizing supporters of Reza Pahlavi for glorifying SAVAK and promoting authoritarian nostalgia.
“The Iranian people deserve a better choice than two forms of tyranny,” Sands said.
Kurdish Leaders Stress Federalism and Equality
Hejar Berenji emphasized the rights of Iran’s ethnic and religious communities and called for a democratic, secular, and federal Iran.
“This regime cannot be reformed. This regime cannot be moderated. This regime cannot be trusted,” he told the crowd. “The only solution is toppling the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Berenji stressed that Kurds and other marginalized communities are an essential part of Iran’s future.
“Kurdistan is not a problem. Kurdistan is part of the future Iran and part of the solution,” he said.
He also called on democratic opposition groups to unite against dictatorship in all forms.
“No dictatorship with a turban, no dictatorship with a crown,” he declared.
Young Iranian Speakers Highlight Resistance Generation
Several younger Iranian speakers emphasized the role of youth and women in the anti-regime movement.
Kimia Aria, a young MEK supporter, praised women leading resistance efforts inside Iran and said the regime fears women because they challenge “silence, obedience, and fear.”
“The Iranian youth are sending a clear message to the world,” she said. “They do not want to return to dictatorship in any form.”
Ali Ziyaee spoke about growing up in Iran under constant fear of repression for any association with the MEK.
“Every execution is a confession that the mullahs have lost control of the nation’s soul,” he said.
He also rejected both monarchy and theocracy, stating that the youth of Iran are fighting for “a free and democratic republic.”
Gen. Wesley Clark: “The Root of the Problem Is the Regime Itself”
Retired U.S. General Wesley Clark described the Iranian regime as the central source of instability and terrorism in the Middle East.
“The root cause is a band of zealots who’ve been living off the oil wealth of the Iranian people to enrich themselves,” Clark said.
He condemned the regime’s executions and suppression of protesters during the January 2026 uprising and praised the NCRI and MEK for sustaining organized resistance for decades.
“The Iranian Resistance is forming under the leadership of the MEK and the NCRI,” he stated.
Clark argued that change in Iran ultimately depends on the Iranian people themselves.
“The heart of the problem, the root of the problem, is in the regime itself, and that can only be changed by the people of Iran,” he said.
Rudy Giuliani: “It’s a Matter of When, Not If”
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told participants that the collapse of the Iranian regime is inevitable.
“There is no doubt now that it’s a matter of when, not if,” Giuliani said.
He praised Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan as a democratic roadmap for Iran’s future and warned against allowing the regime to obtain nuclear weapons.
“This regime is insane. It’s demonstrated that all throughout its 47 years,” Giuliani said.
Rally Focuses on Democratic Alternative
Throughout the rally, speakers repeatedly emphasized that the Iranian Resistance offers an organized democratic alternative to the current regime.
The event also focused heavily on the memory of executed political prisoners and the growing role of Resistance Units operating across Iran.
Calls for international recognition of the NCRI, condemnation of executions, and support for democratic change dominated the gathering.
Participants concluded the rally with chants supporting a free, democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic in Iran while rejecting both clerical dictatorship and a return to monarchy.
