Mohammad Mohaddessin urges EU leaders in Brussels to recognize organized resistance as the only viable path to ending Iran’s crisis
BRUSSELS, March 18, 2026 — Mohammad Mohaddessin, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), called on European leaders to abandon decades of appeasement toward Tehran and instead support what he described as the only viable solution: change led by the Iranian people and their organized resistance.
Speaking in Brussels on the eve of a European Union summit, Mohaddessin attributed ongoing regional instability to two primary factors: the conduct of the Iranian regime and Western policies that have enabled it. He argued that concessions and negotiations have prolonged the regime’s survival for over four decades.
“We have repeatedly warned that this regime is incapable of reform,” Mohaddessin said. “It will not abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, its warmongering in the region, or its violations of agreements.”
He warned that continued engagement with Tehran carries significant risks, stating: “Appeasement of this regime is like nurturing a snake in one’s sleeve — it inevitably leads to war.”
At today’s press conference in Paris, I emphasized a simple reality: Foreign war cannot overthrow #Iran’s regime. Only a popular uprising backed by organized resistance can bring democratic change.https://t.co/s5xsoONBVT pic.twitter.com/fzPCiHHW04
— Mohammad Mohaddessin (@Mohaddessin) March 12, 2026
Resistance as the “Only Solution”
A central theme of Mohaddessin’s remarks was the rejection of both diplomatic engagement and foreign military intervention as solutions to Iran’s crisis. “The only solution to this crisis is regime change by the Iranian people and their organized resistance,” he said.
He dismissed the notion that the system could collapse on its own or be transformed through media-driven activism alone. “Overthrow requires a powerful, indigenous force rooted within Iranian society,” he emphasized.
Mohaddessin identified that force as the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran and its network of Resistance Units operating inside the country. According to him, these units have been active across all provinces for nearly a decade and are “gradually evolving into a liberation army.”
At today’s press conference in Brussels, I emphasized that:
The EU’s policy of appeasement has been the most significant external factor in sustaining Iran's regime and preventing its overthrow.
We are not asking the EU for money, weapons, or foreign troops. We call for an end to… pic.twitter.com/n13IxjBHio— Mohammad Mohaddessin (@Mohaddessin) March 18, 2026
He stated that Resistance Units carried out approximately 3,000 operations over the past year and played a “decisive role” during the January uprising by organizing protests, confronting security forces, and protecting demonstrators. He also noted that more than 2,000 members went missing during that period.
Escalation and Key Operations
Mohaddessin described recent operation by resistance forces as evidence of growing organizational capacity. He referred to a February 23 attack targeting key regime location in Tehran as “a major turning point,” expressing it demonstrated the ability of opposition forces to operate at the highest levels of security.
“This operation … sent a powerful message: that a capable and organized force exists within Iran that can confront the regime at the highest levels, even in Tehran,” he said.
He also cited additional actions, including a March 16 operation targeting a governor’s office in Ahvaz, as well as dozens of coordinated operations earlier in the month against institutions linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other state bodies.
Political Developments and Internal Fragility
Turning to internal political dynamics, Mohaddessin described the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as a shift toward what he called a “hereditary clerical monarchy.” He argued that this transition has narrowed the regime’s support base and increased its reliance on security and intelligence forces, making it more vulnerable.
He also pointed to reported dissent within the establishment, including low participation in the leadership selection process, as a sign of internal fractures.
According to Mohaddessin, the new leadership has responded to mounting pressures with threats of escalation, including potential actions affecting regional stability, while simultaneously intensifying domestic repression.
Crackdown and Social Control Measures
Mohaddessin warned that regime authorities are conducting wide measures to prevent another uprising. He cited heavy deployment of armed forces in urban areas, shoot-to-kill directives, internet shutdowns, and increased reliance on proxy forces as evidence of growing fear within the ruling system.
He also accused the regime of attempting to exploit divisions within Iranian society, including through the revival of monarchist narratives. “The Iranian people have made their position clear with the slogan: ‘Down with the oppressor, whether Shah or Supreme Leader,’” he said.
Call for International Action
Mohaddessin highlighted the NCRI’s February 28 announcement of a provisional government based on the Ten-Point Plan of Maryam Rajavi. He said the initiative is designed to transfer sovereignty to the Iranian people within six months of the regime’s fall and has already garnered support from hundreds of lawmakers in Europe and the United States.
In his concluding remarks, he stressed that the Iranian opposition is not seeking foreign military intervention or financial support. “We are not asking for money, weapons, or foreign troops,” he said. “We call for an end to appeasement.”
He urged European governments to take concrete steps, including recognizing the provisional government, closing regime embassies, expelling agents linked to Tehran, and pursuing legal accountability for Iranian officials under international law.
