On February 11, the world will commemorate the 46th anniversary of the 1979 revolution when the Iranian people united to overthrow the Shah’s dictatorial rule in pursuit of freedom and justice. Though that movement was ultimately hijacked by extremists that established a clerical regime in the heart of the Middle East, the date holds profound significance for a vast diaspora that remains committed to a democratic transition in Iran.
This weekend nearly 20,000 Iranians rallied and marched in Paris in the largest-ever rally of Iranians in the French capital, organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a coalition of pro-democracy forces, under the banner “Onward to a Democratic Republic. No to Monarchy, No to Theocracy.”
Their message to the world was clear: After nearly half a century of suffering at the hands of the ayatollahs, Iran stands on the brink of overthrow once again. This time, the West must stand with the Iranian people—for their freedom and the stability of the world.
With the Islamic Republic accelerating its campaign to acquire nuclear weapons, U.S. President Donald Trump has rightly stated that he will not allow the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism to obtain the most dangerous weapon on earth and committed to a position of “Maximum Pressure.”
A bold declaration of support by the American president for the Islamic Republic’s pro-democracy opposition would rattle the mullahs by encouraging Iranians to take to the streets once again. Iran analysts have long understood that Tehran fears internal dissent more than they do external pressure.
For more than four decades, the Iranian opposition has shown remarkable resilience in the face of the regime’s brutality, including the execution of 120,000 political dissidents—some as young as 13-years old. The overwhelming majority of these victims have been affiliated with the principal opposition movement, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), a key component of the NCRI. Now the Iranian people and their organized Resistance believe their time has come.
This optimism is not unfounded. Tehran has faced fournationwide anti-regime uprisings in the past six years, each one larger than the last. Iranians have pushed back against the resulting crackdowns on protestors, leading to the rejection of the regime in its entirety.
The most significant discontent unfolded in 2022 when defiant Iranians chanted slogans like “down with Khamenei (the supreme leader)” and “down with oppressor, be it the shah or the supreme leader.” The countrywide unrest lasted for months and shook the regime to its core. The uprisings were largely driven by PMOI-affiliated Resistance Units, whose actions intensified the pressure on the regime. Additionally, Iran’s rulers have suffered a series of strategic setbacks, including the overthrow of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, a linchpin of Tehran’s regional strategy in a mere 11 days.
Recently, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the NCRI, addressed both the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament, praising the Resistance Units and highlighting their growing success in recruiting and organizing activists. She emphasized, “Another revolution is in the making. The clerical regime is surrounded on all sides by; the Resistance Units and the fearless, rebellious youth; a society brimming with rage and defiance; internal and external conflicts—especially after losing their most strategic footholds in the region.”
While Iranians are leading the fight for change, the United States and its allies have a crucial role to play. The February 8 rally in Paris served as a powerful platform to amplify the Iranian people’s insistence on a more decisive Western policy. Measures proposed included comprehensive sanctions on the regime’s oil and gas exports, the activation of the 2015 nuclear deal’s snapback mechanism to reinstate U.N. sanctions, and legal action against Iranian officials for human rights violations, terrorism, and crimes against humanity.
Rajavi has been consistent in urging Western governments to abandon failed policies and stand with the Iranian people by acknowledging their “struggle for the overthrow of the regime and the battle of the rebellious youth against the Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
The clerical regime has never been weaker or more vulnerable than they are today. Sitting atop a vast supply of oil and gas, the Islamic Republic cannot even provide heat for Iranians in the middle of winter and there are daily protests demanding the most basic of needs. Actions that further isolate Tehran globally will serve to intensify this latent vulnerability.
Despite years of diplomatic appeasement, a broad coalition of U.S. and European lawmakers has recognized the NCRI and Maryam Rajavi as a viable alternative for Iran’s transition to democracy. Rajavi’s internationally respected Ten-Point Plan outlines a future for her country based on secular governance, gender equality, and a commitment to abandoning the mullahs’ malign nuclear pursuits.
Western authorities now have an opportunity to stand with a beleaguered people fighting for democracy against an antagonistic regime. The voices in Paris on February 8 mark a turning point—a decisive shift from a failed policy of capitulation to one grounded in maximum pressure. Amplifying their calls can help address one of the world’s most complex challenges.