Thousands rally in Paris – On Saturday, February 8, 2025, marking the 46th anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah’s dictatorship, tens of thousands of Iranians and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) gathered in Paris for a large-scale rally and march.
The demonstrators demanded regime change in Iran and the establishment of a democratic republic. Their calls centered on the need for a firm international stance against the Iranian regime, particularly to halt executions, with a strong emphasis on political prisoners. They also denounced the regime’s hostage-taking of foreign nationals and urged their immediate release.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s President-elect, addressed the rally via video as the keynote speaker. She was joined by prominent figures, including Guy Verhofstadt, former Prime Minister of Belgium, and Ingrid Betancourt, alongside members of the French National Assembly and Senate. The event also featured Iranian specialists working with the NCRI, representatives from 320 Iranian associations across Europe, North America, and Australia, and members of Kurdish, Baluch, and Arab communities. Women and young people were notably present, including many who had never been to Iran but actively support the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the NCRI.
Maryam Rajavi highlighted women’s contributions to the Shah’s overthrow
In her speech, Mrs. Rajavi paid tribute to the Iranian people’s 1979 anti-monarchical revolution and reaffirmed their unwavering resolve to overthrow the mullahs’ regime. She declared: “Neither Shah nor Sheikh—long live the Iranian people’s democratic revolution! Another revolution is underway.” In the 1979 Revolution, our people toppled the monarchical dictatorship. Now, we rise to dismantle religious autocracy and secure a democratic revolution.
Mrs. Rajavi highlighted women’s pivotal contributions, drawing a parallel between the 1979 revolution and today’s movement for democratic change. “In that revolution, women valiantly joined the uprising, yet were repaid with discrimination, oppression, and compulsory veiling. Today, a revolution is unfolding that advances towards the active and equal participation of women in political leadership. Where once monarchical tyranny was supplanted by clerical despotism, we now endeavor to forge a society where religion and governance are distinct, and where all ethnicities—from Kurds and Arabs to Baluchis and Turkmens, can realize their rightful freedoms.”
She further emphasized that the Iranian people’s fundamental right to resist tyranny is enshrined in the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She urged the international community to recognize the legitimacy of the Iranian people and the Resistance Units in their struggle to overthrow the regime and called for an end to policies of appeasement.
A Call to the West: No More Appeasement
The demonstrators delivered a clear message to Western governments: “For 46 years, this regime has been the greatest threat to global peace and security, spreading terrorism, warmongering, and hostage-taking. Appeasement has only emboldened the mullahs, making them even more dangerous.” The resolution demanded:
- The designation of the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization,
- Recognition of the Resistance Units’ struggle for regime change,
- Conditioning any negotiations with the regime on the cessation of executions, torture, and terrorism.
Global Support for the Demonstration
Ahead of the rally, approximately 50 former world leaders, lawmakers, and prominent figures from Europe and North America voiced their support. They endorsed the Iranian people’s fight against both the current clerical regime and the former Shah’s dictatorship, advocating for a democratic republic and backing Maryam Rajavi’s ten-point plan. Among the signatories was Jean-Claude Juncker, former President of the European Commission.
