Washington: Europe and the Arabs
In a powerful show of unity and determination, thousands of Iranian Americans, supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), gathered, waving flags, and marching from the Capitol to the White House, calling for a free Iran. This important gathering, which coincided with International Women’s Day, reinforced their call for the international community and the United States to adopt a firm and comprehensive policy against the regime and to recognize the right of the Iranian people to overthrow the regime. This is according to a statement by the Iranian Resistance, a copy of which we received this morning, which also stated, “Their voices rallied behind the ten-point plan presented by the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Maryam Rajavi, which envisions a transition to a democratic and non-nuclear republic, demonstrating a unified commitment to transformational change and women’s empowerment.
The participants, who were wearing the colors of their national heritage and full of hope, urged support for the efforts of the Iranian people to dismantle the regime in Tehran, and called for recognizing the right of the resistance units to challenge the Revolutionary Guards.
Maryam Rajavi, President of the National Council for the Rights of the Iranian Resistance, was the keynote speaker who addressed the online gathering from France. Other speakers included Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Ambassador Sam Brownback, and many members of the Iranian-American communities in the United States.
Mrs. Rajavi said in her message to the gathering and demonstration of Iranians and supporters of the resistance in Washington:

“The saying is that the time has come to rise up
Neither luck, nor coincidence, nor illusory factors will lead to change in Iran. This regime will not fall on its own, nor will it collapse from within automatically.

There is only one way, and no other: resistance and organized uprising.

Everything depends on the will and struggle of the people of Iran. Everything depends on our readiness to pay the full price of freedom.

That is why we have come to the square to say: The time has come, the time for uprising."

Referring to the fake opposition groups that have suddenly emerged from obscurity, the elected president of the National Council of Resistance of Iran added:

"And there is another group, which is making noise and shouting in defense of the former dictatorship, and through this they seek to serve the continuation of this regime.

In the past, they created one "Shah" for Iran after another: first Colonel Liakhov, the Cossack commander, then the British General Ironside, who carried out the coup against the late Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh. Today it is the turn of the regime's Revolutionary Guards to create a new "Shah." In other words, these new fascists of the Shah are nothing but tools in the hands of religious fascism.”
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the Iranian Resistance is led by the brave and selfless sons and daughters of her nation, backed by the unwavering support of the Iranian people, and emphasized:

“For change in Iran, we rely on the heroic sons and daughters of Iran who are ready to sacrifice their lives, and on the unlimited support of our people. We have never and will never ask any foreign power to fight on behalf of the Iranian people or to bring us change. The independence of our great spiritual and material power in this struggle is the secret of our strength.
- This battle stems from the thirst for freedom of the Iranian people, a people who have so far offered more than 100,000 martyrs in the uprisings and resistance against this murderous regime.
The struggle against a criminal regime that has closed all avenues of expression of opposition through street massacres, gouging out eyes, hanging young people, and arresting thousands.”

Referring to the American Declaration of Independence, which states that “‘When a government turns its back on the people and pursues their destruction, it is the natural right of the people to change and overthrow it.’” Mrs. Rajavi said: “Indeed, in the face of a regime that uses organized violence with criminal Revolutionary Guards in a perpetual war against the people, what is the effective response other than resistance, organized uprising, and uprising units? Yes, this is the legitimate right of the Iranian people.”

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) opened his remarks by saying, “We are here to say that we stand with the Iranian people and reject the parasitic regime that has ruled this country since 1979. On International Women’s Day, let us honor the innocent Iranian women who have been murdered by this evil regime and join the Iranian women here, and Maryam Rajavi, in calling for a free, non-nuclear, democratic Iran.”

Congressman Sherman pointed to the recent report by the International Atomic Energy Association on Iran’s near-weapons-grade uranium enrichment, enough to make up to six nuclear bombs. “Now, first, we must remember that it was the MEK that first revealed to the world in 2002 that Iran was working on a nuclear weapon. This is the last resort of the Ayatollah regime. It cannot gain popularity because of its policies, so it seeks to terrorize its own people and the people of the region. But it has failed. It has lost its ally Hezbollah and its ally Assad. “It will soon lose its grip on the Iranian people,” he said.

He stressed that the United States must support those working for democracy in Iran at this critical moment, saying: “A democratic Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. That is why last week, my colleague, California Congressman Tom McClintock, and I joined 150 bipartisan members of Congress to introduce a resolution (H.Res. 166) that supports democracy in Iran, condemns state-sponsored terrorism, and stands with the Iranian people in their call for democracy.”

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani began his speech by emphasizing the need for sanctions on the mullahs’ regime. He said: “Once again, sanctions have been imposed on one of the most brutal regimes in the history of the world. Once again, they have begun to suffer.” 

Referring to the recent uprisings that have brought the mullahs to the brink of collapse and the role of the MEK in mobilizing the protests, Mayor Giuliani said: “I was really close to doing this in 2019, 2020, 2022. We are back there now, and the mullahs are weaker. They were backed by Hezbollah. Where are they now? They were backed by Assad in Syria. Where are they now? You don’t need American or European troops. You just need yourselves, Mrs. Rajavi, and the NCRI to resist.” “Ali Khamenei said you are not a strong group, you are a marginal group, a sect,” he added. “But later he said the only group I really fear, because they have the resources and the organizational capacity, is the MEK. If you are so weak, why are you the most targeted for execution and killing in Iran? Because they fear you. They know what you did in 2017, 2018, 2019. They know how you can move an entire nation. All you need from us is our support. You don’t need soldiers. You need support.” Ambassador Sam Brownback, the former governor of Kansas, began by saying: “The winds of change are blowing in Tehran. It’s time. It’s a hobby for this to happen. I salute your heart and how you have stayed with this for so long.” They chant with the crowd, “No more nuclear weapons. No more mullahs.” He added: “We need European support for this, and they need to support regime change in Iran. We have to get rid of this regime in Iran, or it will be nuclear. It’s not now or never. It’s now or nuclear.” “It has to change,” Ambassador Brownback said. “This is going to be a maximum pressure campaign, imposed by the White House, but it also needs a political component. It has to support regime change in Iran. That’s what you need with it. We have maximum economic pressure. We need maximum security pressure. We need maximum political pressure on the regime in Tehran. It’s change. By the Iranian people. You’re not going to have peace in the Middle East while the mullahs rule in Tehran. It won’t. It won’t happen. They’re sowing chaos, not agreement. They’re not peacemakers. They’re deal breakers. They have to.”