Iranian American Professionals Issue Statement on U.S. Policy Toward Iran

A group of Iranian American professionals has released a detailed statement urging the U.S. government to adopt a principled and informed policy toward Iran, aligning with the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom, justice, and self-determination. The statement reaffirms support for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic in Iran, explicitly rejecting all forms of dictatorship, including both the ruling theocracy and the Pahlavi dynasty.

The group warns against reliance on elements within the regime, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which it describes as pillars of oppression. The statement also criticizes Reza Pahlavi for his alleged collaboration with the IRGC and for undermining the legitimate opposition led by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

The full statement is provided below.

Statement by Iranian American Professionals on U.S. Policy Toward Iran
March 24, 2025

Together with numerous colleagues, we led the open letter circulated in late 2022—endorsed by 4,400 distinguished academicians, including Nobel laureates and renowned scientists. Addressed to the U.S. President and his administration, the letter exposed egregious human rights violations in Iran and emphasized the urgent need for an accountable U.S. policy toward the Iranian regime. Its compelling message, backed by the authority of the academic and scientific community, not only strengthened our call for change but also validated the Iranian people’s demand for justice and for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic in Iran.

In alignment with that letter, we, the undersigned Iranian American professionals, stand united in supporting the Iranian people’s vision for such a republic.

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We also call for a principled and informed U.S. policy toward Iran—one that aligns with the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom, justice, and self-determination, and contributes to a safer world. For decades, and particularly since 2017, the people of Iran have demonstrated their unwavering desire for regime change through acts of courage and resilience. From nationwide uprisings to persistent defiance, they have made it clear that they seek an end to theocratic oppression. This movement for change is powered by the Iranian people and their organized resistance. It requires neither foreign boots on the ground nor financial assistance under any circumstances.

The Iranian people’s vision is forward-looking and not tethered to the past. They categorically reject all forms of dictatorship, opposing both the Pahlavi dynasty and the current ruling theocracy.

The alternative to the current regime is rooted in a movement that has consistently led the struggle against religious tyranny while also resisting the Pahlavi era’s single-party rule and its notorious secret police, SAVAK, known for torturing and killing intellectuals.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) serves as a coalition of Iran’s democratic forces, embodying this principled stance. Under the leadership of its President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI has articulated a clear and comprehensive vision for Iran’s future through her 10-point plan. This plan calls for a democratic republic founded on free elections, separation of religion and state, freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly, gender equality, peaceful coexistence in the region, and a non-nuclear Iran—principles that resonate with the deeply held aspirations of the Iranian people.

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Mrs. Rajavi has also outlined a roadmap for the Iranian people to overthrow the regime, along with a detailed program for the transitional period following its collapse. A provisional government would be formed, committed to holding free and fair elections for a legislative and constituent assembly within six months of the regime’s downfall. Power would then be transferred to the elected representatives of the people. The overthrow of the regime and a peaceful, smooth transition require an alternative with a strong presence on the ground, a well-structured organization, and a coherent program. The Resistance Units of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK), the principal constituent organization of the NCRI, represent the pivotal force for regime change and a stable transition.

In recent years, the Iranian regime has heavily relied on Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah, to undermine the democratic opposition, despite his lack of legitimacy among the Iranian people. During the 2022 uprising, he played a divisive role and has since continued down that path, shamelessly declaring himself “the leader”—an absurd claim from the son of a dictator with scant support, particularly inside Iran. His surrogates have even gone so far as to call him “the God of every Iranian.” In doing so, he has effectively served the interests of the clerical regime.

Reza Pahlavi’s public statements reveal a disturbing reliance on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij—pillars of the regime’s repressive apparatus. In a 2018 interview with a Farsi-language satellite TV channel, Pahlavi stated: “I am in bilateral contacts with the (regime’s) military, the IRGC, and the Basij. We are communicating.” He went on to stress, “The most important component among all factors is the role that the military and paramilitary forces can play in this transition… They must have a place. They should know that the very force to guarantee Iran’s future security and stability are actually themselves.” These remarks, reiterated on several occasions, expose his strategy to co-opt the IRGC—a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and the regime’s main enforcement arm—as a central player in his vision for Iran’s future. This proposition is categorically rejected by the Iranian people, though welcomed by the theocratic regime.

Even outside Iran, his authoritarian style and reliance on aggressive supporters to intimidate opposition groups have led to widespread rejection within the Iranian diaspora.

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Pahlavi’s call for “maximum support” is, in reality, a plea for financial backing from the United States and other countries, further undermining his credibility. He claims to have established a fund to support striking workers in Iran and has asked the U.S. government to finance it, raising serious concerns about accountability and reminding Iranians of his family’s history of corruption and the billions of dollars looted from the Iranian people.

Today, the network closest to Reza Pahlavi is increasingly infiltrated by the regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC—a vulnerability that is no longer secret. Even imprisoned dissidents, such as Hashem Khastar, a leader of Iran’s teachers’ union who remains jailed for opposing the clerical regime, have reported being pressured by the IRGC to denounce the MEK and align with Pahlavi as a condition for release.

The Iranian people’s struggle for freedom is focused on ending clerical rule and dismantling its military force, the IRGC. Those who rely on or collaborate with theocracy or the IRGC only serve to prolong the regime’s rule, regardless of how they present themselves.

We urge U.S. policymakers to recognize the Iranian people’s organized resistance and support their democratic aspirations. The future of Iran lies in the hands of its people, not in the shadow of its past, nor in the grip of its present oppressors.