On Saturday, February 21, 2026, on the eve of March 8, International Women’s Day, the NCRI Women’s Committee hosted an international conference in Paris entitled “Women’s Leadership: An Imperative for a Free Iran and a Democratic Republic.” The conference, attended by women legislators, academics, thinkers, and prominent political figures, focused on women’s political participation and leadership as a decisive element in a democratic society.
At this conference, Michèle Alliot-Marie, Former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior, and Defense (2002-2011), was present and delivered a speech. The full text of her speech is provided below:
Michèle Alliot-Marie: The World Needs Women and a Democratic Iran for Regional Stability
Madam President, dear Maryam Rajavi, dear Iranian friends present here, in Ashraf and elsewhere, who have come from all European countries, from the United States, and from many other nations to express their support, I would like to tell you how happy I am to commemorate this Day of Women’s Rights with you, slightly ahead of the calendar date. International Women’s Day is, first and foremost, a day on which we honor the role of women in all societies. We celebrate them not only as mothers and wives, but above all as those who carry the burden of daily life and who advance culture, health, democracy, sports, and science. It is no coincidence that Nobel Prizes have been awarded to women, including Iranian women whom we must salute and whose achievements recognize the role of women in all these fields.
International Women’s Day is also a day when we, who benefit from these rights, reaffirm women’s rights: the right to education, the right to freedom, the right to freely choose one’s profession, the right to move about as one wishes, and the right to think as one wishes. In every country, women have a role to play and must be included in all major decisions that shape the future of their nation, the future of their families, and the future of humanity. It is essential to recall this point, because although it is true in our democracies, there are still many countries where this reality is ignored, countries where women are deprived of the role they can and should play for the good of their country and of humanity.
International Women’s Day is also an opportunity to express our solidarity, support, and affection for Iranian women and men who, with extraordinary courage and determination, stand up to one of the most misogynistic and cruel regimes in the world. A regime that does not hesitate to kill tens of thousands of people, especially women, simply because citizens dare to say they are not satisfied with the current situation, that they are weary of living under dictatorship, tired of being threatened, and ultimately exhausted by being deprived of the right to live freely.
I believe, dear friends, that it is deeply symbolic that we are gathered here around an Iranian woman who for years, indeed for decades, has carried the aspirations of the women and men of an entire nation: the aspirations for freedom, for democracy, and for the recognition of equality between women and men; a woman who leads a party and a movement in which more than 56 percent of the participants are women. I would like us all to applaud her and express our affection to her: Maryam Rajavi.
Michèle Alliot-Marie: The People of Iran Are Risking Their Lives to Defend the Very Values You Stand For
And if you allow me, I would like to say what has shaped our bond over these years: Maryam Rajavi has never changed. She has never wavered in her convictions. It is very easy, when opportunities seem to arise, to say, “We will adapt and move toward what appears to be more useful.” But no. Maryam Rajavi holds firm convictions, convictions she has always defended, including the fundamental belief that women play an indispensable role in democracy and in peace, in Iran first and foremost, because change in regime will come from the people, and also beyond Iran, throughout the world.
Dear friends, this is also an opportunity to recall that the future of Iran can in no way be the future of the mullahs. A great country owes its people a true democracy, and as long as this regime remains in power, democracy will not be possible. Without the presence of women in all decision making bodies, democracy cannot be realized. Any regime that seeks to replace the regime of the mullahs, or to perpetuate it, yet fails to recognize this obvious truth that women play an essential role in democracy, cannot in any way be considered democratic, and therefore cannot be regarded as satisfactory.
There can be no democracy without freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of action, and the freedom for every woman and man to choose where and how to live. There can be no democracy without equality between women and men. This is one of the fundamental principles. This is what you, dear Maryam Rajavi, have proclaimed in your plan for years and continue to defend, and we stand beside you in defending it. Certainly, we live in a relatively calm environment and have little to complain about. When we leave here, we are able to express what we think and live as we choose. This is far easier for us than for those in Iran who risk their lives to defend the values that are also yours, dear Maryam Rajavi. But we want to tell them that, within our means, we stand by their side and that they are not alone. I believe that this is the message that must be conveyed to them. We do not seek to interfere, nor should we interfere in the process of regime change, but we want to say that we support you, that we stand beside you, and that as far as we are able, we support your struggle. It is important to state this clearly.
At a time when in some countries the very principle of democracy is being called into question, we are faced with a new phenomenon. Democracy has always been seen as an ideal toward which one should strive. Today we see some major countries attempting to suggest that democracy is a concept limited to only part of the world and that it can easily be challenged in the name of fighting neo colonialism or in the name of the right to choose one’s political system. This is a fundamental issue. For this reason, at a time when conflicts in the world are becoming more numerous, more violent, and more dangerous, it is essential to reaffirm that democracy and freedom are values that must be defended everywhere. We must also reaffirm that we support those who defend these values.
Yes, Maryam Rajavi, yes, dear friends. The world needs women. The world needs a democratic Iran that can contribute to the stability of this region. The world needs you, the Iranian women who are present here and in Ashraf. The future of peace in the world also depends on your ability to advance and realize your ideas. That is why we admire you, why we support you, and why we love you
