On May 16, 2025, the city of Cuneo hosted a conference titled “Maryam Rajavi’s Call – No to Executions in Iran”, bringing together a broad coalition of elected officials, political leaders, and human rights advocates. The event focused on condemning the recent wave of executions, state-sponsored terrorism, and the expansionist policies of the Iranian regime. Participants voiced their support for the democratic vision outlined in the Ten-Point Plan of Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The conference was chaired by Cristina Clerico, Cuneo’s Culture Assessor, and featured participation from different members of the City Council and parliament.
Speakers at the event emphasized their longstanding solidarity with the Iranian people and opposition to the clerical regime’s human rights abuses. Mayor Patrizia Manassero recalled Cuneo’s historical opposition to dictatorship and its enduring support for the Iranian Resistance, including the city’s symbolic sisterhood with Ashraf in Iraq. She highlighted the continuity of this relationship across successive local administrations and reiterated her commitment to freedom and democracy in Iran.
5-#Italy, May 16, 2025: The administrators of #Cuneo stand firmly alongside the Iranian people and their courageous resistance for freedom and dignity. Solidarity knows no borders.#StopExecutionsInIran #NoDeathPenalty #FreeIran10PointPlan pic.twitter.com/HJgX3R8V2S
— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) May 24, 2025
Parliamentarian Monica Ciaburro raised concerns over the systemic oppression faced by ethnic minorities such as Kurds, religious communities, and especially women in Iran. She underlined the significance of recent uprisings in Iran as seeds of a future democratic movement and pointed to resolutions passed in both houses of the Italian Parliament as clear signs of political support for the Iranian people.
Senator Giorgio Maria Bergesio, Vice President of the Senate’s Industry and Commerce Commission, addressed the regime’s dual track of internal repression and foreign terrorism. He stressed the unity of the Iranian people in resisting the regime—students, artists, journalists, and ordinary citizens alike—and emphasized that Italy cannot remain indifferent. He underscored the importance of standing in solidarity with those fighting for freedom both within Iran and abroad.
MP Chiara Gribaudo said the worsening human rights situation in Iran, documented by international organizations, was deeply alarming. She stressed the need to go beyond symbolic gestures and actively defend the democratic values enshrined in Italy’s constitution.
1-#Italy, May 16, 2025: A powerful conference was held at the Municipality of #Cuneo to say NO to executions in #Iran and support the #IranianResistance. #StopExecutionsInIran #NoDeathPenalty pic.twitter.com/MB9aISTnxw
— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) May 24, 2025
Giancarlo Boselli, City Councilor and long-time supporter of the Iranian Resistance, reflected on 18 years of active engagement. He recalled past visits to Camp Ashraf, where despite harsh conditions in the Iraqi desert, the Resistance had built a functioning city with medical and educational facilities. He argued that the NCRI’s democratic principles, embodied in Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, mirror the anti-fascist resistance movements of Europe’s past. For Boselli, the Iranian regime represents one of the most brutal governments since World War II, due to its systemic use of torture, executions, corruption, and terrorism. He criticized any illusions about negotiating with Tehran, particularly over its nuclear ambitions, and affirmed that international support for the Iranian Resistance increases hope for the regime’s eventual overthrow.
Noemi Mallone, a member of the Cuneo city council, shared her experience participating in international conferences marking Women’s Day in 2023 and 2025. She described the events as powerful, featuring united female voices from around the world. For her, the freedoms outlined in Rajavi’s plan—freedom of religion, expression, press, and dress—are essential democratic values that deserve robust international backing. She confirmed that the Cuneo City Council had officially approved support for the NCRI on multiple occasions.
Dr. Khosrow Nikzat, head of the Iranian Doctors and Pharmacists Association in Italy, emphasized that the struggle to overthrow the Iranian regime is a responsibility that falls squarely on the shoulders of the Iranian people. However, he urged Italian authorities to play a critical supporting role—by recognizing the people’s right to self-defense, designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, shutting down regime-affiliated centers and mosques used for ideological and terrorist indoctrination, and expelling Iranian regime diplomats from Italian territory.
Elham Nikzat, head of the Iranian Democratic Women’s Association in northern Italy, highlighted the regime’s escalating use of executions and recalled the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, most of whom were supporters of the PMOI and the NCRI. She called on the public and international institutions to raise their voices against executions and support the Iranian Resistance. She underscored that resistance is not merely a choice, it is a necessity in the face of injustice and tyranny.
The event in Cuneo served as a resounding message of unity, resistance, and hope. Italian officials and human rights defenders stood together to advocate for an Iran free of dictatorship, executions, and repression, and pledged continued support for the NCRI’s democratic alternative.