BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series, December 4, 2024, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI-US Deputy Director
The President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, made remarks at a recent conference in Paris that presented a decisive roadmap for democratic change in Iran. She identifies six key pillars underpinning the Iranian Resistance’s capability and legitimacy and its well-defined plan for the transitional period. They are:
- Iran’s incensed populace, galvanized by the MEK-affiliated Resistance Units, represents the driving force for change. Resistance Units, led by women, form the Army of Freedom, channeling public frustration into a coordinated effort for an organized uprising.
- The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), with six decades of resistance against tyranny, remains the regime’s most enduring and primary adversary. Ashraf 3 in Albania, housing veteran MEK members and pioneering women, symbolizes resilience and defiance.
- The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) offers a credible alternative. Established 43 years ago, it is Iran’s longest-standing political coalition. Its platform promotes autonomy for ethnic minorities, equality of religions—including Shia and Sunni—separation of religion and state, abolition of the death penalty, and a non-nuclear Iran. This democratic vision champions peace, justice, and gender equality.
- The Resistance draws broad support from the families of those fallen for freedom, political prisoners, and a global network of expatriates, guaranteeing its financial independence, integrity, and commitment. The Iranian Resistance was also the first to expose the regime’s secret nuclear programs and facilities in 2002.
- Mrs. Rajavi’s 10-point plan for a democratic Iran has earned backing from majorities in 34 legislative chambers across Europe, the U.S., and Arab nations, as well as 137 former world leaders and 80 Nobel laureates. These endorsements decisively reject both religious and monarchic dictatorships as viable options for Iran’s future.
- The NCRI aims not to seize power but to restore it to the Iranian people. Following the regime’s overthrow, a provisional government would lead for six months, tasked with organizing free elections for a Constituent Assembly. This Assembly would draft and approve a new constitution, ensuring sovereignty is fully transferred to the people. With this structured plan, the NCRI eliminates any possibility of chaos, bolstered by millions of expatriates ready to return and aid in Iran’s reconstruction.
Mrs. Rajavi’s vision dismantles the regime’s propaganda, affirming that a united, democratic Iran is not only possible but inevitable.