Maryam Rajavi’s Message to Marche Region Council, Italy

Maryam Rajavi: No System Built on Fear Can Endure

Honorable President Francesco Acquaroli,
Mr. Gianluca Pasqui, President of the Regional Council,
Honorable Members of the Regional Council,

Greetings to all. I sincerely appreciate your solidarity with the Iranian people’s resistance for freedom and democracy, and the establishment of a democratic republic in Iran.
Today, Iran and the entire Middle East are at a decisive and unprecedented moment.
Last January, a major uprising spread across all 31 provinces of Iran.
The ruling mullahs responded to that uprising with the killing of thousands of young people, including teenagers.
This violence, in turn, increased the determination of our people to bring an end to the regime.
At the same time, resistance units expanded their activities against the regime. In practice, they have developed into organized units of a liberation army inside Iran.
On February 23, they carried out a major operation targeting the headquarters of Khamenei, one of the most heavily protected sites of the regime. This event demonstrated the power of the resistance movement inside the country.
The people of Marche, who have repeatedly stood against religious and military dictatorships, understand well the importance of the Iranian people’s struggle. History does not forget the time, during the Second World War, when Marche rose up against fascism and Nazi occupation. Workers, students, and women stood firm despite severe repression and joined resistance networks.
Such a people can truly understand the emotions, the determination, and the conviction of the Iranian people who have risen up.
Like all peoples who have risen up, our people face many obstacles in their pursuit of freedom. These include the repression of the ruling regime, also the attempts by remnants of the previous dictatorship to hijack the people’s uprising. Fortunately, the Iranian people draw on 120 years of struggle for freedom. They have reached a level of political wisdom and progress that leaves no place for either religious or monarchical tyranny.
Today, the regime stands on the brink of collapse. For this reason, it has turned to the execution of political prisoners. From March 19 to April 6, 13 political prisoners have been executed. Seven of them were brave rebellious youth who took part in the January uprising. The other six were members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. They are regarded as heroes in the struggle to overthrow the religious dictatorship.

A Credible Alternative

Dear friends,
We have welcomed the ceasefire in the war that began on February 28 over the regime’s nuclear and missile programs.
We hope that this temporary ceasefire, contrary to the wishes of the remnants of both the clerical regime and the Shah, will lead to a lasting end to the war. We also hope it will open the path toward peace and freedom.
From the very beginning, the slogan of this resistance and its provisional government has been, and remains, peace and freedom. We also emphasize that the abolition of executions in Iran, as a demand of all the Iranian people, must be included in any international agreement.
In recent days, the son of Khamenei claimed that 17 million people are devoted supporters of the regime, ready to give their lives.
In response, I stated that, if this claim is true, he should accept free elections for a constituent assembly or for the presidency. Such elections should be held under United Nations supervision and based on the principle of popular sovereignty, not clerical rule.
However, the ruling theocracy does not have the courage to accept this. It sees peace and freedom as a threat to its own survival.
For many years, we have said that neither the appeasement policy of Western governments nor foreign military intervention can resolve the issue of Iran. The solution lies in regime change carried out by the people, , through resistance and organized uprising.
In the face of this regime, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) offers a credible alternative that enjoys sufficient social support. The NCRI is a coalition of democratic forces and personalities who seek to overthrow the ruling clerical regime.
The Ten-Point Plan of this resistance outlines the vision for a democratic republic in Iran. It includes principles such as the separation of religion and state, gender equality, autonomy for ethnic groups, the abolition of the death penalty, and a non-nuclear Iran.
The National Council of Resistance has also announced a provisional government to transfer sovereignty to the people of Iran. This government will ensure a peaceful, orderly, and democratic transition of power to the people.
We call on the international community to recognize the provisional government.
Your long experience has shown that the standing of Marche and Ancona is not only due to their history. It also comes from their resistance to dictatorship and their struggle for freedom. Marche and Ancona have demonstrated that no system built on fear can endure.
For more than 60 years, our resistance has remained steadfast in defending these same values. It has stood against both the monarchical and the clerical dictatorships. Today, it represents hope for the future.
I hope that the honorable lawmakers of Marche, as well as all defenders of peace, freedom, and human rights, will actively support the Iranian people’s struggle to overthrow the regime. I also urge you to encourage the Italian government to close the regime’s diplomatic missions, and pressure the regime to stop the execution of political prisoners and protesting youth.