Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran rallied in major Western capitals backing the provisional government initiative announced by Maryam Rajavi, presenting a structured roadmap for democratic transition in Iran.
One of the greatest fears during the collapse of authoritarian regimes is the specter of chaos and a power vacuum. Throughout modern history, dictatorships have often relied on this fear to justify their continued rule. Recent demonstrations by Iranian communities and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), however, suggest that Iran’s organized resistance is attempting to address that concern directly.
The rallies followed the announcement of a provisional government initiative by the NCRI. According to the proposal presented by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI, the provisional administration would oversee a short six-month transition period, during which power would be transferred to the Iranian people through free elections for a constituent assembly.
Supporters of the initiative say this approach represents an effort to distinguish between spontaneous unrest and a structured democratic revolution. The provisional government plan is framed within Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, which outlines principles such as universal suffrage, separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran. Advocates argue that the goal is to ensure that decades of sacrifice by Iranian citizens are not followed by the emergence of another authoritarian system.
“Neither Shah nor Mullah”
One of the defining messages emerging from the recent demonstrations was the clear rejection of both monarchy and the current theocratic system. Participants repeatedly emphasized the slogan “Neither Shah nor Mullah,” reflecting a demand for a democratic republic rather than a return to hereditary rule.
Speakers at rallies argued that after more than four decades of struggle—and the loss of tens of thousands of lives in political repression—Iranians are not seeking the revival of another authoritarian order. Several international speakers and political activists also criticized attempts by monarchist factions to position themselves as the alternative to the current regime.
According to critics, calls by some royalist figures for the military to suppress ethnic minorities reveal the authoritarian character of such movements. Participants in the Paris rally warned that attempts to restore monarchy could ultimately serve as a tool for division within the Iranian opposition and benefit remnants of the ruling establishment.
International Recognition and Support
Another central message of the demonstrations was the call for the international community to recognize the Iranian people’s right to overthrow dictatorship and to support a democratic transition framework.
Advocates argue that global stability—particularly in the Middle East—depends on the emergence of a secular, democratic, and non-nuclear Iran. Such a system, they say, would also guarantee equal rights for all ethnic communities, including Kurds, Baluchis, Azeris, and Arabs.
Supporters of the NCRI’s plan believe that international backing for a democratic transition could help prevent instability during a period of political change.
A Critical Moment in Iran’s History
Iran is widely seen as standing at a pivotal moment in its modern history. The political uncertainty following the death of Ali Khamenei has intensified debates about the country’s future and the potential paths for political transformation.
What distinguishes the recent demonstrations, according to supporters of the resistance movement, is the presentation of a clear political roadmap and an organized democratic alternative capable of guiding a transition.
As stated by Massoud Rajavi, proponents of the movement believe that Iran’s democratic revolution cannot be appropriated by competing authoritarian forces. Instead, they argue, the determination of the Iranian people to establish national sovereignty and democratic governance will ultimately prevail.
For supporters of the opposition movement, the vision of a free and democratic Iran is no longer viewed as a distant aspiration but as a political objective taking shape through organized resistance and growing international attention.
