On January 9, at the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) headquarters in France, a gathering marked a pivotal moment in the struggle against Iran’s ruling regime. Speakers included NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized the resilience of the Resistance, citing the regime’s struggles: economic instability, mass poverty, growing dissent, and defections. She called for global recognition of the NCRI, stating, “Recognizing the Iranian Resistance is not one choice among many; it is the only practical and viable solution to confront the religious fascism ruling Iran.” She reaffirmed her vision of a democratic republic rooted in gender equality and separation of religion from the state.
Mr. Pompeo depicted the Iranian regime as being in rapid decline, emphasizing the fall of the Assad regime as a precursor to Tehran’s fate. “Assad hiding in another country, hoping only that he can stay alive in spite of the crimes he committed against his own people. The fact that it fell so quickly, that it was such a paper tiger, told the world that the Ayatollah is finished, that his time is complete,” he stated. He encouraged Resistance Units, saying, “Keep up the fight…The United States and the pressure campaign will return, making the regime even more fragile. You, the Resistance, you are on the right path.”
He dismissed any hope of the IRGC moderating, labeling it the core of the regime’s brutality. “No one is going to change the nature of that regime. Pretending so will only lead to the continuation of the rule of the clerics in Iran,” he asserted. Pompeo highlighted the sacrifices made by the MEK, recalling the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. “The MEK has been the target of terror abroad and the subject of massive demonization campaigns by the regime. Every week in Friday prayer ceremonies across Iran, the regime chants slogans against the resistance,” he said, defending the group against propaganda efforts.
He praised Maryam Rajavi’s leadership and her 10-point plan for a democratic Iran, calling it a viable roadmap: “Mrs. Rajavi, you’ve repeatedly stated there’s only a single path, one path to the regime’s end, and that is being achieved by the Iranian people and the organized resistance inside of Iran.” Pompeo emphasized that the resistance does not demand foreign intervention but recognition of their right to resist. “This plan doesn’t ask for regime change from outside…The only demand of the resistance is the recognition of the Iranian people’s plight,” he declared.
Pompeo urged international support for the NCRI: “New U.S. policy, as the new administration comes in, needs to create even more space for the Iranian resistance to be vigilant on the ground. The focal point of this policy has to be recognition of the Iranian people’s right to resist and recognition of the National Council of Resistance of Iran as the single best alternative to the clerics ruling Iran.” He described the NCRI as a capable and democratic alternative, lauding its exposure of Iran’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.
His speech conveyed confidence in the Iranian people’s ability to achieve freedom. He called for accountability for the regime’s atrocities.
Pompeo concluded with a powerful message: “This is the time for the West to recognize the right of the Iranian people, this fundamental right that is so basic to every human being created in the image of God, to live with human dignity. And that means the right to resist and to change the nature of the lives of the people inside of Iran.”
