Maryam Rajavi: The regime’s support base has significantly eroded due to protests and Khamenei’s strategic failure in the region
- The nuclear program, which was intended to “guarantee the regime’s survival,” has become a source of crisis.
- Khamenei is now at an impasse, and the regime’s damaged capabilities are beyond repair.
The midterm session of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) was held on Monday, February 10, and Tuesday, February 11, 2025, coinciding with the 46th anniversary of the revolution against the Shah’s dictatorship in Iran. The session took place in the presence of Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s President-elect for the transitional period of transferring sovereignty to the Iranian people.
At the outset of the session, Mrs. Rajavi expressed appreciation for the widespread and passionate participation of Iranians, particularly the younger generation, in the grand demonstration in Paris. She highlighted the major developments of recent months, including the escalating wave of public protests, the increasing demonstrations by an exasperated population, and the failure of Khamenei’s regional strategy, particularly his loss of influence in Syria and Lebanon.
She stated: “As a result of these developments and defeats, the regime’s support base and maneuvering room in the region have been significantly diminished. The nuclear program, which was supposed to be a ‘guarantee of survival’ for the regime, has instead become a factor exacerbating the crisis. Khamenei is now at an impasse, with no way forward or backward, and the regime’s weakened capabilities are beyond repair.”
In contrast, she pointed out: “The increasing activities of the Resistance Units inside Iran, the expansion of the Resistance movement in the political and international arenas, and the growing support of youth and women for the Resistance all reflect the status of the only democratic and independent alternative committed to the great cause of overthrowing the regime and achieving a free Iran.”
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the current status of this alternative is the result of a long and arduous struggle against religious tyranny, the blood of martyrs, and the sacrifices of members and supporters of the Resistance across generations.
She noted: “This has made the message of this alternative resonate widely both inside Iran and internationally. The message of this Resistance is: Neither Shah nor Mullahs—but rather the establishment of a democratic and independent republic based on the separation of religion and state, gender equality, and autonomy for oppressed nationalities. This is a powerful and guiding message that enjoys broad support from the Iranian people, especially women and the younger generation.”
During the session, NCRI members commemorated the anniversary of the anti-monarchical revolution, emphasizing that the Paris demonstration proved that, despite all the regime’s repression and conspiracies, the democratic and independent alternative has firmly established itself in Iran’s political landscape.
They described the vast and tightly packed crowds in the demonstration as a remarkable fusion of various social groups, ethnic communities, and three generations of Iranians—especially the young generation, brimming with awareness and national determination, marching toward a free Iran and a democratic republic.
The NCRI session praised the intensification and expansion of Resistance Units’ campaigns inside Iran, commended the bravery and resolve of Resistance Units members in confronting the regime’s oppressive forces, and honored their steadfastness in prisons and under torture.
The session reaffirmed the belief that, despite all its domestic and international crises, this regime cannot be overthrown through bombings or external pressure. Instead, they emphasized:
“Real change and the regime’s overthrow can only be achieved by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance.”
The Paris demonstration served as a rallying point for Iranians, demonstrating their passionate support for the Resistance Units and their struggle.
NCRI members highlighted the source of the Resistance’s victories, attributing them to its unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom and national independence—a commitment that has unequivocally rejected both the Shah and the mullahs’ dictatorship from day one.
They noted that today, Iranians have no doubt that the root cause of all social crises, corruption, and oppression is the ruling regime of Velayat-e Faqih (absolute clerical rule).
In the current situation, they stated, the Iranian people’s response to crises manifests in the Resistance Units’ operations, alongside the uprisings of the impoverished masses seeking human dignity. “This is the force that, by overthrowing the mullahs’ regime, can pave the way for the Iranian people’s liberation from oppression, discrimination, and injustice.”
The NCRI session exposed the regime’s intensifying disinformation campaign, noting that in addition to deploying infiltrators around the Shah’s son, the regime has mobilized a massive cyber force under the supervision of the IRGC and Khamenei’s office.
This cyber force operates thousands of fake accounts under the guise of monarchists in an effort to promote the exiled prince and attack the Iranian Resistance.
However, in the face of these desperate efforts, the waves of freedom-loving Iranians who rallied on February 8, 2025, and their chants of: “Death to the oppressor—be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader!” sent a clear message to the world: “The era of the decayed clerical regime and the remnants of the past dictatorship is over. Iran now stands on the threshold of a new chapter in its history.”
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
13 February 2025