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Italian Parliament Hosts Conference on Iran, Backs Democratic Change and Rejects Appeasement

Written by Farid Mahoutchi
On Wednesday, July 30, Maryam Rajavi delivered a speech at the Italian Parliament
On Wednesday, July 30, Maryam Rajavi delivered a speech at the Italian Parliament

In a significant display of international support for the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom, the Italian Parliament hosted a special session on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, featuring Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The conference brought together a distinguished assembly of Italian parliamentarians, senators, and prominent international figures to address the critical situation in Iran and explore a path toward a democratic future.

The event underscored a growing consensus on the failure of past policies toward Tehran and the urgent need for a new approach. Speakers from across the political spectrum condemned the Iranian regime’s escalating human rights abuses, its destabilizing role in the Middle East, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons. A central theme was the “Third Option,” a policy framework championed by Mrs. Rajavi that rejects both foreign military intervention and appeasement of the clerical regime, advocating instead for democratic change led by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance.

During the session, it was announced that a majority in the Italian Senate had endorsed the “Free Iran 2025” declaration, lending powerful support to Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a future democratic republic and calling for the terrorist designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi: The Third Option is the Path to a Free Iran

In her keynote address, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi presented a comprehensive roadmap for change, asserting that the Iranian regime is teetering on the edge of collapse and that a decisive moment has arrived. She began by paying tribute to Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, two members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) recently executed by the regime, calling their deaths part of a desperate crackdown to prevent a new uprising.

Mrs. Rajavi framed the core issue in Iran as a “decisive battle between the Iranian people and the clerical regime,” and questioned where the international community stands. She outlined the “Third Option” as the only viable path forward: not foreign war, nor appeasement of the theocracy, but “regime change—by the Iranian people and their organized resistance.” She stressed that the Resistance does not ask for money or weapons, but simply that the world stops standing with the murderous regime. She declared, “If such defiance is considered a crime, then it is a badge of honor—one that every Iranian proudly wears.”

She countered the regime’s propaganda, which claims the opposition is incapable of change and that overthrow would lead to chaos. Mrs. Rajavi pointed to the vast network of Resistance Units and the NCRI’s 44-year history as a credible and organized coalition capable of ensuring a smooth transition of power. “Our goal is not to seize power at any cost,” she affirmed. “Our goal is to guarantee freedom, democracy, and the people’s right to freely choose, at any cost.”

Naike Gruppioni: Italy is Ready to Support a Free Iran

The conference was opened by Italian Member of Parliament Naike Gruppioni, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who set a tone of responsibility and urgency. She emphasized that the struggle for freedom in Iran is a matter of shared humanity. “Every time a person is deprived of the ability to express themselves, it is a limitation that affects everyone,” she stated. Ms. Gruppioned highlighted the courage of Iranian women and youth and stressed that any solution must be peaceful, sustainable, and led by Iranians themselves.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Gruppioni celebrated the vibrant and cohesive movement for a free Iran, which she had witnessed firsthand. She praised the Third Option and endorsed the NCRI’s platform, which has garnered the support of over 4,000 lawmakers worldwide. She condemned the recent executions and called for a serious reflection on designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization. She described Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan not merely as a political program, but as “a dream, a dream for Iran: concrete, possible, and just, for a secular and free Iran. And I believe that Maryam Rajavi is the leader who can transform this dream into reality.”

Charles Michel: Appeasement Does Not Work, Silence is Complicity

Charles Michel, former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium, delivered a powerful address, stating that the mullahs’ dictatorship is “weaker than ever, and because it’s weaker, it becomes again more dangerous and more brutal.” He identified the regime as a threat not only to its own people but to the world, citing its sponsorship of terror proxies, its pursuit of a nuclear bomb, its military support for Russia, and its use of hostage-taking and cyber-attacks against Europe.

Mr. Michel shared three crucial lessons learned from Europe’s engagement with Tehran. “First, appeasement does not work,” he declared, noting that the regime abused the West’s goodwill. “Second, silence is complicity,” because it emboldens the oppressors. His third and most emphatic lesson was that “there is a democratic alternative—the recognized and structured opposition and its resistance.” He dismissed the notion of internal reform and rejected foreign military intervention, aligning fully with the Third Option. “The future of Iran lies in the hands of its people,” he concluded, praising Mrs. Rajavi’s leadership and her Ten-Point Plan as a “powerful program for designing a new and free Iran… a road map from dictatorship to democracy.”

Giulio Terzi: The Mullahs’ Regime is a Terrorist State That Must Be Isolated

Senator Giulio Terzi, Chair of the European Union Policies Committee in the Italian Senate, delivered a scathing indictment of the Iranian regime and the West’s failed policies. He expressed deep outrage at the recent executions, calling it “shameful” that some Western analysts continue to label regime president Massoud Pezeshkian a “moderate” or “reformist” while he presides over mass killings. Senator Terzi argued that years of appeasement have magnified the damage caused by the regime, stating that the chaos and bloodshed in the Middle East largely stem from Tehran’s “messianic follies.”

“Today, the mullahs’ Iran is a pariah state that must be completely isolated,” he asserted, labeling it a “terrorist state” and citing the foiled 2018 Villepinte bomb plot and the assassination attempt on Alejo Vidal-Quadras. He gave immense credit to the Iranian Resistance for its critical role in global security, reminding the audience that “if we are discussing Iran’s illicit and illegal nuclear program today, it is because the regime has not yet obtained an atomic weapon.” He attributed this directly to the NCRI’s courageous exposure of the secret nuclear sites in 2002, calling the Resistance “a political and informational bulwark” that deserves concrete political support.

Lucio Malan: The Struggle for Iran’s Freedom is Everyone’s Struggle

Senator Lucio Malan, President of the Majority Caucus for the Brothers of Italy party, thanked Mrs. Rajavi for being “an example for the entire free world.” Addressing the packed hall, he noted the immense mobilization of the NCRI’s supporters, many of whom have personally suffered under the regime, as a testament to their deep “love for your homeland and a love for freedom.” He condemned the Iranian regime’s horrific record as the world’s leading executioner and highlighted the regime’s explicit support for global terrorism, which directly endangers international security.

Senator Malan declared that “the struggle of the Iranian people for freedom is truly everyone’s struggle.” He described Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan as a “shared and reassuring program for everyone,” one befitting a great nation with a rich history and immense talent. He affirmed his solidarity with the Resistance, concluding with a powerful endorsement: “Long live free Iran, long live the great Iranian people!”

Linda Chavez: Regime Change is The Only Way for a Safe World

Linda Chavez, former White House Director of Public Liaison, argued that lasting democratic change in Iran “must come from within the country and from the people of that country.” She criticized the recent statement from Washington that “we’re not for regime change,” calling it a “terrible statement because it is only regime change that is going to make the world safe from this cruel and imperialistic state of Iran.”

Ms. Chavez challenged the notion of a “Third Way,” stating, “I don’t think it is a third way. I think it is the only way.” She firmly rejected a return to the Shah’s dictatorship as a viable alternative, praising the Resistance for its clear stance against both the mullahs and the monarchy. She lauded Mrs. Rajavi as an “inspiration to people around the world” for standing up to the regime’s misogyny and mobilizing a powerful global movement. Ms. Chavez concluded by endorsing the Ten-Point Plan‘s commitment to fundamental human rights, gender equality, a free press, and a non-nuclear Iran, affirming that it offers a comprehensive vision for a just and democratic future.

Lorenzo Cesa: Europe Must Do More to Help the Iranian People

Lorenzo Cesa, a Member of Parliament and Head of Italy’s Parliamentary Delegation to NATO, called for decisive action in support of the Iranian Resistance. He denounced the hypocrisy of Pezeshkian, who “appears as a pro-Western president” but has overseen the killing of 1,500 dissidents in the last year. Mr. Cesa shared a moving personal anecdote about his wife’s trip to Iran, where a local family told her, “if you, if the Americans, you Europeans, understood more, you would do much more to help us resist this regime.”

He urged the international community not to stand by and watch but to actively support the Iranian people’s struggle. He called on his own government and on Europe to “intervene more decisively” to help the Iranian people become free. “It is time to do so,” he concluded.

Emanuele Pozzolo: We Stand with Those Who Love Life and Freedom

Member of Parliament Emanuele Pozzolo framed the situation in Iran as a fundamental, spiritual battle. “On one side, there are human beings who love life and freedom. On the other, unfortunately, there are human beings who live under the shroud of hatred and death,” he said. He described the current regime as a “symbol of hatred and death” and praised the Resistance for its daily struggle to change this symbol.

Mr. Pozzolo affirmed that the global community of free nations is drawing ever closer to the goal of liberating the Iranian people from a repressive minority regime. He offered a message of unwavering solidarity to Mrs. Rajavi and her supporters, stating, “When a regime that stands for hatred and death collapses or is about to collapse, those who love life and those who love freedom stand with those who fight for good. We stand with you, firmly and forever.”

Simona Giaccardi: A Voice of Hope for a People Denied Democracy

Bringing a voice from Italy’s local governance, Simona Giaccardi, President of the City Council of Fossano, expressed her solidarity and that of other mayors from her region. She praised Mrs. Rajavi as a woman leader who embodies “strength, conviction, and determination in her elegance and sweetness.” Ms. Giaccardi noted that for those in the West who were born into democracy, it is easy to take it for granted.

She highlighted the critical role of Mrs. Rajavi in offering a vision of freedom to a people, especially the youth, who have never known it. “Her voice gives hope, and we are here to support her,” Ms. Giaccardi stated, underscoring the grassroots support within Italy for the cause of a free Iran.

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