Some say that pulling out will lead to war in the Middle East, a viewpoint that the Iranian mullahs certainly ascribe to as they threaten to restart their nuclear programme with the sole purpose of using it to attack America and its allies.

However, there are many more who point out that Trump can actually achieve peace in Iran by withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). These are the Iranian people and their allies, who are advocating for regime change in Iran both in protests on the ground and in dialogues with the wider community.

Free Iran

Thousands of exiles took part in the Iran Freedom Convention on Saturday, in Washington DC, alongside many prominent American dignitaries and Members of Congress.

The event, hosted by the Organization of Iranian-American Communities, was attended by politicians, activists, and dissidents from every sector of life and every political party.

In a message to the rally, Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi said: “The people of Iran are calling on the international community, in particular the West, to support their uprising for the overthrow of the Iranian regime.”

Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), is one of the most recognisable voices of the Resistance and has expertly debunked all of the Regime’s lies about their opposition. She explained to the crowd that the Iran deal was not helping the people of Iran, but enriching the mullahs and helping fund illicit wars and terrorism.

She said: “Since the JCPOA was forged, the Iranian Resistance stressed that the nuclear deal had provided ‘unwarranted concessions’ to the regime and any agreement must take into account Tehran’s meddling in the Middle East… the experience of the past three years has confirmed that the mullahs took advantage of the concessions in the JCPOA to suppress the people of Iran and massacre the people of Syria.”

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was also in attendance at the rally, where he explained that Trump is “as committed to regime change as we are” and advocated for escalating the protests to allow the people to bring about regime change.

This, he said, was “the only way to peace in the Middle East” and “more important than an Israeli-Palestinian deal”.

During his speech, Giuliani also praised the Iranian exiles, who were transferred to safety in Albania in 2016. He said that now that the members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) were no longer in fear for their lives, they were able to work towards a Free Iran much more quickly.

Giuliani, whose views on the JCPOA are well known, pretended to rip up the accord on stage.

While Bill Richardson, former US ambassador to the United Nations, attended the event to advocate that the NCRI is the legitimate opposition and ready to take power.

He said: “The Iranian people want regime change… We are here to recognize there is a legitimate opposition, right here. The National Council of Resistance of Iran.”

Others who sent support to the convention, included:
• Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX)
• Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
• Rep. Ileana Ros Lehtinen (R-FL)

Turbulence ahead for Regime
Later today, Trump will announce his decision on the nuclear deal and hopefully he will, as Giuliani promised, side with the Iranian people.