The event carried the social media tags #FreeIran and #IStandWithMaryamRajavi in reference to the leader of the Iranian Resistance.

The speakers were: Robert Torricelli, former US Senator; Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York and personal attorney to US President Donald Trump; John Baird, former Foreign Minister of Canada; Robert Joseph, former undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security and General James Conway, former Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Former Senator Robert Torricelli highlighted the importance of the young people of Iran who are taking to the streets in an effort to bring great change to their country. He emphasised that the courageous young people of Iran recognise that the only way they can have a brighter future is via regime change.

Torricelli also highlighted the role of the MEK, describing it as the democratic opposition and the viable opposition. He also highlighted that the Resistance has a very strong leadership. It is led by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi and has a strong, determined and organised team of people that is supported not just by the people of Iran but also by many people around the world.

Ambassador Robert Joseph mentioned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that the United States exited last year. Many criticised President Trump for leaving the nuclear deal, especially the European signatories who claimed that the world was a safer place with it intact. However, President Trump followed through with his long-standing threat to pull out of the deal and explained that it was a weak deal that did not address some very critical issues.

Ambassador Joseph agreed that the nuclear deal contained many flaws, pointing out that it did not touch on, never mind properly address, Iran’s ballistic missile program, its terrorist activities across the region and its interference and crimes against humanity in Syria. He said that the “only solution to the nuclear threat of Iran is regime change”.

Ambassador Joseph also emphasized the role of the people of Iran in the fight for freedom and democracy and said that the “NCRI and MEK provide a viable alternative to Iran’s regime”.

John Baird, former Foreign Minister of Canada, also commended the people of Iran and said that the West has the support of the Iranians who understand that the pressure being put on Iran is necessary.

Baird also declared that “our best weapons is the truth” and warned that the regime will not be able to hide from it. He said that senior members of the Iranian regime are worried because they know they will be held to account for some of the bloodiest atrocities they have been involved with, including the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and the bombing of the Jewish centre in Argentina.

General James Conway, ex-Commandant of the US Marines, spoke about the Iranian regime’s intentions and offered solutions to how the United States can move forward. Having seen first-hand some of the dangers that the Iranian regime presents, he said that its main objective is survival. It wants to be “the premier power in the region”, he declared. He said that the US should continue issuing sanctions in the first instance.

He criticised the Iranian regime for letting the people of Iran live in poverty while it lines its own pockets and said that the West should be exposing more of the regime’s crimes so that its true colours are shown.

Former Mayor of New York City and personal attorney to President Trump Rudy Giuliani spoke about the evolution of the protests in Iran. Over time, the protests have become less about the personal hardships of the people and more about the leadership and running of the country. Giuliani said that “there are strong indicators that the Iran protests are becoming political”.

He also spoke about the missed opportunity with regards to US policy towards Iran a few years ago when the sanctions were in place but the Obama administration failed to take full advantage of the situation, effectively emboldening the regime and turning a blind eye to issues that should have been dealt with head-on. However, he pointed out that the Trump administration is not falling into the same trap and said that the regime “has become frightened and irrational”. He said: “The mullahs are going to fall with the protests going on. They’re desperate. Striking the drone and attacking oil tankers. It seems like a regime that’s not thinking in clever ways.”

In all, the event finished with a degree of positivity. Positivity that policy towards Iran is less appeasing than it has been over the past few years and positivity about the role of the NCRI and the PMOI / MEK. The speakers are all experts in their fields or have years of policy experience under their belts and they all believe that regime change is imminent if governments act in the right way towards Iran.

The speakers called on their governments, and all governments, to remember the people of Iran and to not get lost in the regime’s provocations of war. They call on the individuals that have the power to take the right action that will result in the regime falling and the people finally being free. Torricelli said: “The right Iran policy is whatever accelerates the end of this regime. The wrong policy is whatever prolongs the life of the regime.”