Former Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni says neither war nor failed diplomacy can bring change to Iran, arguing that the country’s future rests with its people and the democratic resistance.
Former Italian Prime Minister: There Is a Way Beyond War
Former Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni told an international conference on Iran that the country’s future will not be decided through war, failed diplomacy, or sanctions alone, but by the Iranian people and the democratic movement seeking change from within.
Speaking at the conference “Iran Beyond War: Human Rights and the Power of the People as the Solution,” Gentiloni thanked NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) for organizing what he described as a timely gathering amid a pivotal moment for Iran and the international community.
He stressed that the conference demonstrated there is an alternative to both military conflict and continued dictatorship.
“What is happening now in Iran leaves the door open to an alternative—to the resistance and to the Iranian people, and not only to war and destruction.”
The War Has Not Strengthened the Regime
Addressing widespread speculation about the consequences of recent military developments, Gentiloni challenged the perception that the conflict had strengthened Iran’s ruling establishment.
While acknowledging that the regime has attempted to project an image of resilience, he argued that the reality is quite different.
“We are now facing, in Iran, a sort of vacuum of power. The power is weaker than it has been for years and years.”
According to Gentiloni, the authorities may respond by becoming even more authoritarian and repressive in an effort to compensate for their growing weakness.
“The regime will try to become even more autocratic, more oppressive, more dictatorial than before.”
At the same time, he rejected the notion that the conflict had united the Iranian people behind the regime.
“Don’t believe that the war gathered the Iranian people around the regime. This is not true.”
Neither Diplomacy Nor War Has Delivered Change
Reflecting on international efforts over the past decade, Gentiloni acknowledged that he had once shared hopes that diplomacy could moderate the regime’s behavior.
Referring to the 2015 nuclear agreement, he said experience has demonstrated the limitations of that approach.
“This kind of diplomatic way is not working, and it will not work again.”
Yet he was equally clear that military intervention offers no viable alternative.
“The war, the external war and intervention, is not a solution.”
For Gentiloni, both approaches have failed to produce the political transformation sought by many Iranians.
Sanctions Matter, But They Are Not the Answer
Gentiloni also discussed the role of international sanctions, arguing that while they have weakened the regime economically and should be strengthened in several areas, they cannot by themselves bring democratic change.
“Sanctions are working… but they are not, in themselves, the solution.”
He noted that Iran’s deep economic crisis and growing public dissatisfaction have been intensified by sanctions, but emphasized that economic pressure alone cannot determine the country’s political future.
Instead, sanctions should be viewed as one element of a broader strategy rather than the decisive factor.
The Iranian People Hold the Key
According to Gentiloni, meaningful political change ultimately depends on the determination of the Iranian people and the support they receive from the international community.
“The solution is in your hands, in the hands of the Iranian people, and in the support of the international community to the Iranian people.”
He praised European efforts to support the Iranian Resistance and welcomed continued parliamentary engagement with the NCRI, describing such support as essential for advancing democratic aspirations.
“There Is a Way Beyond War”
Concluding his remarks, Gentiloni expressed admiration for Iran’s history, culture, and civilization while voicing solidarity with those struggling for freedom.
“We admire your country, your culture, your civilization. We will not forget the Iranians fighting for freedom.”
He argued that the international community should focus on supporting democratic values rather than relying solely on diplomacy, military action, or economic pressure.
Summarizing his message, Gentiloni said:
“There is a way beyond war. The way beyond war is freedom and democracy.”
His speech reinforced one of the conference’s central themes: that lasting political change in Iran will come not through external intervention, but through the determination of the Iranian people, supported by the international community and guided by democratic principles.
