Washington D.C., November 15, 2025— The Free Iran Convention 2025 convened hundreds of Iranian American scholars, professionals, human rights advocates, youth, and community leaders from across the United States, joined virtually by supporters and dignitaries from around the world. Held under the theme “The Path to a Democratic, Prosperous Republic in Iran,” the all-day gathering examined Iran’s rapidly shifting internal landscape and the growing momentum for democratic transition. Panels throughout the morning explored the regime’s escalating crisis, the expanding role of women and youth in the Resistance, and the roadmap for transferring sovereignty to the Iranian people.
Dr. Sofey Saidi, scholar-practitioner in international relations, global governance, and conflict resolution, member of the NCRI, opened the main session by emphasizing that the day’s discussions—spanning political analysis, human rights testimony, and strategic planning—demonstrated a common truth: Iran’s transformation is no longer theoretical but underway. She noted that scholars, former political prisoners, experts, and youth activists had all pointed to the same conclusion: the path forward lies in regime change by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance. Drawing on her research on democratic transitions, she warned that revolutions without structure risk collapse, whereas disciplined movements with clear governance frameworks succeed.
Maryam Rajavi, NCRI President-elect for the future provisional government, is the keynote speaker at the #FreeIranConvention2025. Watch here live:https://t.co/THfnDi09H6 pic.twitter.com/nbH5LoIqkL
— Amir R. Bolurchi (@ablrchi) November 15, 2025
In her keynote remarks, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi framed the central challenge facing Iran and the world: “How can meaningful change be realized in Iran? This is the fundamental question of our time.” She declared that the regime has entered its terminal phase— “the final phase of its winter”—marked by economic collapse, eroding social control, and a society “ready to bring this regime down.”
Rajavi emphasized that the roots of Iran’s crisis cannot be reformed or moderated. “Is it conceivable to reform this regime? Should one wait for it to become more rational?” she asked, noting that both hardliners and so-called reformists have overseen mass executions, repression, and regional warmongering. The regime’s nature, she said, makes meaningful change impossible.
Turning to foreign policy, Rajavi condemned four decades of Western appeasement: “This policy paved the way for the expansion of fundamentalism, and—most disastrously—it blocked the path to democratic change.” She reiterated her long-standing Third Option: “neither appeasement nor war, but the overthrow of the regime by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance.”
She honored the rise of Resistance Units and the new generation leading Iran’s uprisings, describing them as “the Iranian people’s great Army of Freedom.” Their courage, she argued, proves how regime change will be achieved—from inside the country through organized struggle.
Rajavi concluded by reaffirming the NCRI’s democratic program: “We seek a democratic republic, free elections, the separation of religion and state, gender equality, and autonomy for Iran’s nationalities.” Above all, she emphasized: “We are not fighting to seize power. Our goal is to return sovereignty to the people of Iran.”
#FreeIran2025Convention in Washington, D.C.
Regime change in Iran, the fundamental question of our time
The convening of this assembly presents a rare and valuable opportunity to reflect on the most pressing question of our time: How can meaningful change be realized in Iran.… pic.twitter.com/gSmTGZM8re— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 15, 2025
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the regime in Tehran as increasingly fragile, stating, “This regime is weak… more internationally isolated than ever,” and noted that it survives only by “fear as its only tool,” pointing to the violent crackdown of 2022.
Highlighting failures across the region—including Hezbollah’s decline and Assad’s loss of control—Pompeo argued that Tehran’s influence is collapsing. Meanwhile, he said, Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been “massively diminished.” Yet the decisive force for change, Pompeo stressed, lies not abroad but inside Iran: “A nation that has arisen from inside to oust a regime that is illegitimate.”
Pompeo urged Western governments to abandon appeasement: “If you appease tyrants, they will grow in power… pallets of cash delivered from the West only enable the brutalization of the opposition.” He called for isolating the regime financially, diplomatically, and morally, warning that Tehran continues to fund Hamas, Hezbollah, and militias across the region.
Most importantly, he emphasized that the NCRI has never asked for foreign intervention: “It didn’t ask for American boots on the ground… only to support the Iranian opposition and put pressure on the regime.” Comparing Iran’s destiny to the sudden collapse of the Soviet bloc, Pompeo said, “These rotten regimes fail… The date is unpredictable, but it comes with unbelievable speed.”
He closed with confidence and resolve: “The just, God-given right of all human beings to live in a free and prosperous society will one day find its roots inside Iran… What a glorious day that will be.”
As Secretary @mikepompeo notes, the propaganda machine dismisses the 30,000 massacred in 1988 and ignores the work Iran’s Resistance has carried out inside the country, preparing for the day freedom prevails. The roadmap is clear—never easy. I’ve watched your path since your days… https://t.co/Phee8MC7HF pic.twitter.com/OiBNtunw22
— Maryam Fakhar (@MaryamSFakhar) November 15, 2025
Former Speaker of the U.K. House of Commons John Bercow praised the convention’s extraordinary energy, saying that in more than four decades of political life, he had “never attended a convention that comes anywhere near matching the electricity and all-engrossing enthusiasm on display today.”
Bercow paid tribute to the NCRI for organizing the event with “almost military precision,” and saluted the five morning panels, singling out the women’s panel and the youth panel as moments that would “remain with me for the rest of my life.” He honored the residents of Ashraf 3, describing them as individuals who had “sacrificed so much for so long in support of so many.”
Turning to the regime in Tehran, Bercow condemned it as a “four-and-a-half-decade-long essay in barbarity,” arguing that the mullahs fundamentally misunderstood the purpose of government, which is “to serve, to facilitate, and to empower the people.” He asserted that the clerical rulers “cannot be improved—they have to be removed,” and described the clerical regime as a “failed state” hollowed out by corruption, repression, and mismanagement.
Bercow forcefully dismissed the regime’s narrative that Iran lacks a viable democratic alternative, calling such claims “nonsense on stilts.” He reserved particular scorn for what he described as manufactured or self-appointed opposition, arguing that figures who “fled in comfort, lived in luxury, and now reappear with blueprints for Iran’s future” possess no legitimacy whatsoever. Any attempt to resurrect monarchy, he said, is “no alternative at all”—a hollow substitute promoted precisely to weaken the real Resistance.
Authentic legitimacy, Bercow stressed, belongs only to those who have remained on the ground, who have organized, who have borne the costs of defending the Iranian people. “The MEK has been doing precisely that for almost four and a half decades,” he said, noting that no fabricated opposition—no matter how polished its rhetoric—can claim such a record. He pointed to the execution of 100,000 MEK members, the 17 awaiting execution today, and the tens of thousands of acts of defiance carried out inside Iran as testament to a movement that is disciplined, principled, and rooted in genuine sacrifice.
He praised the NCRI’s commitment to pluralism, listing its advocacy for freedom of the press, gender equality, separation of religion and state, an independent judiciary, environmental stewardship, and the right of the Iranian people to determine their own destiny. These principles, he argued, demonstrate why the Resistance—not any remnant of authoritarian rule—offers the only credible future for Iran.
Over 1,000 Iranian dissidents united today in Washington, D.C. to support a free, democratic, secular Republic of #Iran. The world is witnessing a historic moment: a movement rejecting ALL dictatorships — mullahs or monarchy!#FreeIranConvention2025 @NCRIUS @OrgIAC pic.twitter.com/PuY7BElX35
— Nasser Sharif (@NasserSharif1) November 15, 2025
Former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands praised Maryam Rajavi’s leadership and emphasized that the gathering itself reflected a political reality the world can no longer ignore: “The Iranian people not only reject dictatorship but already have a democratic alternative capable of replacing it.”
Amb. Sands underscored that the regime’s escalating repression—executing protesters, targeting youth, and cracking down on dissent—is driven not by confidence but by fear. The return of international pressure, including the activation of UN snapback sanctions, has further cornered Tehran. Yet she insisted that neither foreign capitals nor sanctions pose the existential threat the regime fears most: “The regime does not fear exiled monarchs or lobbyists. It fears the MEK.”
Highlighting the power and discipline of the Resistance Units inside Iran, Sands stressed that no other political force has demonstrated comparable sacrifice, organization, or readiness to lead a transition. She dismissed any revival of monarchy with a sharp rebuke: “Iran will not trade a turban for a crown.” Legitimacy, she argued, belongs to those who “paid the price in prisons and in the streets,” not to those who inherited titles or platforms.
A significant portion of her speech celebrated the central leadership role of women within the Iranian Resistance—“the only revolution in the Middle East led by women”—which she described as both historic and emblematic of the democratic future envisioned in Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
Amb. Sands concluded with a direct appeal to democratic governments: recognize the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the regime and acknowledge the NCRI as their legitimate representative. “Appeasement has failed,” she declared. “The solution already exists—and it is this movement.”
#FreeIranConvention2025: Amb. Carla Sands, former US Ambassador to Denmark, addresses the convention for a roadmap to a democratic republic in Iran.#NCRIAlternative pic.twitter.com/vJGW2ZiP39
— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) November 15, 2025
Former U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy began by praising those who spoke before him before turning to what he described as the movement’s greatest strength: its depth of talent, discipline, and readiness. “You are showing that there is a process here,” he said. “Iran can make the transition because it has the back room—brilliant people, motivated people—who can write a new chapter in Iran’s history.”
Kennedy emphasized that the NCRI and MEK have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to organize, build, and persevere under fire, citing his own visit to Ashraf-3 as proof. Despite bombings, killings, and years of siege in Iraq, he recalled, the residents “still played their music, still recited poetry, still celebrated one another.” This, he said, is the model for the Iran of tomorrow.
Framing the struggle in moral and universal terms, Kennedy invoked his own family’s civil-rights legacy, arguing that the fight for Iranian freedom mirrors past global struggles against apartheid, totalitarianism, and injustice. “This is not an Iranian fight,” he declared. “This is a universal fight for all humanity and all freedom.” He stressed that the oppression faced by Iranian families—especially women—would compel any compassionate person to stand with them: “There but for the grace of God goes every single person living under oppression.”
Kennedy condemned the regime’s brutality, including mass executions and repression of youth, while praising the extraordinary courage of young Iranians who continue to rise despite danger. Echoing Speaker Bercow’s remarks, he dismissed the Shah’s son as irrelevant to Iran’s future— “a comedy,” he said—reaffirming that the only viable path is “the democratic example manifest in the Ten-Point Plan of the NCRI and Madam Rajavi.”
Closing with a reflection drawn from his uncle Robert F. Kennedy, he reminded the audience that great movements are built from countless small acts: “Each time someone stands up, they send forth a tiny ripple of hope… and together those ripples can knock down the mightiest walls of oppression.” Kennedy vowed to remain on this path until the day he can bring his children to a free Iran to witness the civilization reborn.
#FreeIranConvention2025: Hon. Patrick Kennedy is spot on. Watch this 👇 pic.twitter.com/pqYAcvXCtk
— Amir R. Bolurchi (@ablrchi) November 15, 2025
Professor Hossein Sadeghpour, a leading theoretical physicist and director at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, declared that for Iranians, “the day they find out why they are born” is the day they join the struggle for freedom.
He traced Iran’s battle for democratic governance back more than a century, beginning with the Constitutional Revolution of 1905, led by Sattar Khan and Baqer Khan—“the first enlightenment revolution in the Islamic world”. Yet each milestone, he argued, was sabotaged not only by foreign powers but by clerical opportunists who repeatedly betrayed the people’s aspirations. The toppling of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in the 1953 CIA–MI6 coup, he noted, was only operationally possible because of the treachery of “yet another mullah,” Mullah Kashani. Decades later, the Shah’s authoritarianism and SAVAK’s repression created the very conditions that enabled Khomeini’s seizure of power.
Drawing from Marx’s 18th Brumaire and Newton’s Third Law, Sadeghpour argued that Iran’s history can be understood as a series of cause-and-effect chain reactions—cycles of genuine popular struggle followed by opportunistic hijacking. “History repeats first as tragedy, then as farce,” he said, warning that today’s resurfacing monarchists and former torturers represent the same toxic forces that derailed past revolutions. Their sudden reappearance, he argued, is not a political revival but a sign that Iran’s body politic is “rid[ding] itself of the remains of diseased organs.”
Prof. Sadeghpour emphasized that the Iranian people decisively rejected monarchy in 1979 and paid for freedom with “the blood of Iran’s youth.” The core lesson, he said, is that liberty is never granted from above—“It is earned through sacrifice, resistance, and an unbreakable commitment to justice.”
He concluded by identifying the NCRI and MEK as the only organized movement that has internalized these lessons and transformed them into a practical, evidence-based roadmap for a democratic future. Iran’s next chapter, he said, will not be written by kings or clerics but by those who declare, “We shall free Iran.”
Hon. Patrick Kennedy delivers his remarks at the #FreeIranConvention2025 sharing his high confidence in a future free and prosperous Iran. pic.twitter.com/m9gEyhIaqB
— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) November 15, 2025
Closing the convention, political editor and national commentator Guy Benson delivered a deeply personal and unexpectedly resonant address, weaving his own early-life experiences in the Middle East into a powerful endorsement of the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom.
He recounted his family’s memories of the Iran–Iraq War and a small but symbolic act of defiance by his mother, who illegally drove a car on their last night in the country—an anecdote he connected to the extraordinary courage Iranian women display today. “In an era of cheap posturing,” he said, “Iranian women demanding freedom is true heroism.”
Benson told the audience that he fully shares their vision of a “free, secular, democratic, non-nuclear Iran,” and said that for the first time in many years, that vision feels genuinely within reach. The regime, he argued, has exposed itself as a “paper tiger”—militarily, politically, and morally. The events following October 7, he said, revealed Tehran as the “head of the snake of terrorism,” while simultaneously laying bare its structural weakness: collapsing proxies, gutted military capability, a crippled nuclear program, and a propaganda machine that is “imploding under its own lies.” These cascading failures, he suggested, may be remembered as “the beginning of the end.”
Benson emphasized that the American people overwhelmingly stand with the Iranian people, pointing to the bipartisan majority behind U.S. House Resolution 166. He also cited the optimism of an Iranian-American scholar he deeply respects—an optimism he now shares.
In his closing message, Benson urged the audience to reject despair and never surrender to complacency. “You have never walked away,” he said, and now, after decades of sacrifice, “the tide has turned.” He ended with a vision of the future: a Free Iran Convention held not in Washington or Paris, but “in a free, thriving Tehran—discussing not what might be, but what has been achieved.”