Iranian opposition leader calls for end to appeasement, closure of regime embassies, and support for democratic transition
In a message to a major rally in Brussels held concurrently with the European Union leaders’ summit by freedom-loving Iranians on March 19, 2026—Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), called on European governments to recognize the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the ruling system and to formally endorse the NCRI’s provisional government plan.
Maryam Rajavi’s Message to the Iranians’ Rally in Brussels Concurrent with the EU Leaders’ Summit
Addressing supporters and the international community, Rajavi framed the current moment as decisive, stating: “In these urgent and turbulent times that have engulfed our beloved Iran, your voices are a cry for peace and freedom, echoing the will of a people who have never desired the rule of the clerical regime, nor its bombs and missiles.”
She emphasized that Iranians reject all forms of dictatorship, declaring: “The people of Iran say: peace and freedom… a democratic republic, sovereignty vested in the people, and an end to all forms of dictatorship, whether of the Shah or the mullahs.”
At the center of her message was a call for international recognition of a political alternative. Rajavi highlighted that “the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has announced a provisional government to transfer sovereignty to the people of Iran, based on its Ten-Point Plan.”
Call for a Shift in EU Policy
Rajavi sharply criticized decades of Western engagement with Tehran, arguing that conciliatory policies have emboldened the regime. “For four decades, a policy of appeasement has sharpened the blade of religious fascism against the throat of the Iranian people,” she said, pointing to nuclear ambitions, internal repression, and regional conflicts as consequences.
She reiterated a long-standing position of the Iranian resistance: “The solution to Iran’s crisis lies neither in appeasement nor in foreign war. The only path is regime change by the Iranian people and their organized resistance.”
On the eve of the EU summit, Rajavi outlined specific demands directed at European leaders:
- Pressuring the regime to release political prisoners
- Expelling operatives linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from European soil
- Closing regime embassies across Europe
- Recognizing the NCRI’s provisional government
Warning of Escalating Repression
Rajavi warned that the ruling establishment is increasingly resorting to threats and violence to maintain control. “Today, the ruling clerics and their executioners fear you more than ever,” she said, referencing repeated warnings by authorities of renewed crackdowns.
She added: “One day, they threaten to repeat the massacre of 1988; another day, they warn of renewing the bloodshed… and yet another, they admit to issuing orders to open fire on protesters.”
The opposition leader also pointed to attacks beyond Iran’s borders, including strikes against Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as signs of the regime’s instability and aggression.
Vision for a Democratic Future
Rajavi underscored that the resistance movement seeks a democratic transformation rooted in national unity and equal rights. She stated that the movement aims to establish “a democratic revolution and a democratic republic” that respects the rights of all ethnic groups, including Kurds, Baluch, Turkmen, and Arabs.
She stressed that this inclusivity has strengthened solidarity among Iranians against the ruling system, adding: “The people of Iran are writing their destiny with the blood of their brave sons and daughters.”
Quoting Massoud Rajavi, she concluded: “Confronting and overthrowing this regime is the task of the Iranian people, the rebellious youth, the rebellious cities, and the National Liberation Army.”
Ending her message on a forward-looking note, Rajavi declared: “The springtime of freedom for the people of Iran is on its way. Long live peace and freedom. Victory to the democratic revolution of the people of Iran.”
