BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series, May 13, 2024, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI-US Deputy Director
Following the missile and rocket attack on April 13th by Khamenei’s regime, it is unequivocally clear that Tehran is indeed the epicenter of the war, terrorism, and instability in the Middle East. This evil regime must be eradicated by the Iranian people themselves, paving the way for freedom within Iran and lasting peace throughout the region.
Despite the outward aggression and destructive tactics of Iran’s ruling clerics, they remain profoundly vulnerable. Their intensified direct attacks and proxy wars are desperate measures to maintain power and stifle the growing revolutionary fervor within the country.
Through successive nationwide uprisings since 2018, the Iranian people have demanded the end of oppressive rule, rejecting all forms of dictatorship with chants like, “Down with the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader,” and “Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, I give my life for Iran.”
A viable democratic alternative has existed for over four decades. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), representing a democratic and anti-fundamentalist alternative, along with the internationally recognized 10-point plan of its President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, offers a roadmap for a secular, non-nuclear republic. This vision not only promises a democratic Iran but also seeks to contribute to peace and tranquility in the Middle East.
The largest and most organized opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as the MEK, is a key component of the NCRI. The Resistance Units inside Iran, connected to the MEK’s network, are at the forefront of countering the IRGC’s apparatus of suppression and terrorism. Tehran sees this movement as an existential threat to its survival.
It is time for Western capitals to abandon their policies of appeasement and adopt a firm stance towards Tehran. They must acknowledge the Iranian people’s right to resist and overthrow the tyrannical regime, supporting their struggle for a democratic and free Republic Iran.