BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series, April 15, 2024, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI-US Deputy Director
As the clerical regime inches closer to its end, the pivotal role of the Resistance Units as the engine for change has become unmistakably clear. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has declared the new Iranian year as “the year of rebellion and uprising,” stating that all signs indicate the conditions are ripe for the Iranian people’s democratic revolution to terminate the clerical regime.
Affiliated with the leading opposition group, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), these decentralized activist networks have played a key role in mobilizing citizens and orchestrating six major nationwide uprisings since December 2017. They are deeply and organically connected with various social demographics seeking regime change.
Despite operating under extreme repression, the Resistance Units have served as an effective counter to the regime’s oppressive tactics, fueling a public desire for democracy and freedom.
The MEK’s Resistance Units have expanded in number and have become a model for young Iranians, showcasing remarkable organizational prowess and an extraordinary capacity for reconstruction and recruitment.
Despite over 3,600 members being imprisoned or going missing since the onset of the uprisings, their resilience and expansion are significant accomplishments.
The 2022 uprising marked a turning point for the Resistance Units, as they carried out an unprecedented 3,000 counter-suppression operations.
The Resistance Units have transformed into a nightmare for the regime, as evident in its internal communications and relentless vilification campaigns, and they have emerged as a beacon of hope for the Iranian youth, envisioning an alternative future of a democratic republic.
The Resistance Units stand as the cornerstone of the burgeoning revolution in Iran.