Free Iran 2026 Summit Brings Together International Political Figures to Emphasize thePath Toward a Democratic Iran
On Saturday, June 20, 2026, marking the 45th anniversary of the nationwide Resistance for democracy and freedom, the first day of the annual Free Iran summit, titled “Free Iran 2026 – Onward to a Democratic Iran,” was held at the headquarters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.
A significant number of political figures from various countries participated in the summit. Speakers at the “Free Iran” conference included: Charles Michel, President of the European Council from 2019 to 2024 and Prime Minister of Belgium from 2014 to 2019; Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022, Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018, and Mayor of London for eight years; John Bercow, Speaker of the UK House of Commons from 2009 to 2019; Christine Arrighi, member of the French National Assembly and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for a Democratic Iran; Dominique Attias, Chair of the Administrative Council of the Foundation of European Lawyers, President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (2021–2022), representing more than one million lawyers, and Vice-President of the Paris Bar Association (2016–2017); Baroness O’Loan, member of the UK House of Lords; Naike Gruppioni, member of the Italian Parliament and the Foreign Affairs Committee; Judy Sgro, member of the Canadian Parliament; Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2020 to 2024; Carsten Müller, member of the German Bundestag; Senator Robert Torricelli; and Petre Roman, Prime Minister of Romania from 1989 to 1991 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2000.
Our Slogan Is Peace and Freedom
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the keynote speaker at the event, commemorated the 45th anniversary of the Iranian people’s nationwide resistance, the Day of Martyrs and Political Prisoners, and the anniversary of the founding of the National Liberation Army of Iran. She said:
“Forty-five years of uninterrupted resistance by an entire people against the monster of religious tyranny constitute our greatest asset in the struggle for freedom. To the remnants of this regime, we say: whichever path you choose, uprising and overthrow await you.
Against the rebellious youth and the rebellious cities of Iran, your missile cities are powerless.
Against an organized uprising, your staged street spectacles are of no avail, and the daily execution of political prisoners will not save your regime.”
Mrs. Rajavi stressed: “The path to Iran’s freedom is not a foreign war. Nor is it waiting for the regime to collapse of its own accord.
The path to Iran’s freedom is not the fabrication of artificial, fake alternatives.
The real force for change is on the ground. It rises from a people who aspire to a free and just society—from those devoted and enlightened young men and women who say No to both the Shah and the mullahs, together with an organized Resistance that has accumulated sixty-one years of experience in the struggle against two dictatorships. “
“We say instead that autonomy is the undeniable right of those nationalities that have long endured double oppression. Iran’s future, and peace and freedom in Iran, lie in the establishment of a democratic republic.
It is precisely for this purpose that the National Council of Resistance of Iran has announced the formation of a Provisional Government to transfer sovereignty to the people through free elections for a Constituent Assembly and a National Legislative Assembly within six months.”
Christine Arrighi
Dear Iranian women and men, and friends of Ashraf, beyond my position as a member of the French Parliament, I am honored to speak to you on behalf of all the committees in Europe and North America. We all share one thing in common: we want a democratic republic based on the separation of religion and state, with a vision of women’s leadership in politics. This is one of the reasons I joined the Committee for a Free Iran.
No to war, no to appeasement, and no to endless negotiations; yes to uprising, yes to freedom through support for its independent resistance. This is what Maryam Rajavi has repeatedly declared over the past 20 years, and we have all supported it in order to make your voices heard.
The real solution is not in this endless war between the mullah’s regime and the world powers, but this large gathering shows that the Iranian people have their own voice.
Dominique Attias
How do they dare oppose unarmed citizens under the pretext of “public order,” yet fail to stand up to the executioners who commit these crimes?
The government first said yes, then banned the demonstration. They spoke of public order—whose order was supposedly being disturbed? Those who carry out executions in Iran? When a democracy condemns executions in Iran, we must not only condemn them but also cut the mullahs’ hands off from our institutions.
Baroness O’Loan
It is a pleasure to be with you here today and it is indeed a great honor to speak on behalf of the British delegation on this very, very important occasion for Iran. We speak today in defense of all those who are suffering at the moment in Iran because of the regime, the unlawful and terrible regime of the mullahs.
I was very, very concerned last night when I heard that France had banned a march for which permission had been sought, arrangements had been made, and consent had been given. 100,000 people were gathering in Paris for this rally, and this seems to have happened after a meeting between the Iranian foreign minister, a telephone meeting, and the French. France has espoused rights to freedom and equality and proclaims those rights proudly.
Freedom of speech, thought, conscience have all been taken away from the Iranian people this afternoon and for all their brave supporters. I want to congratulate the lawyers who are fighting bravely to try and overturn this ban even as the, the, uh, police are, are stopping, stopping those who came to support Iran from, from rallying together. The regime in Iran does not want today’s events because they demonstrate the level of support internationally for the campaign for freedom and democracy in Iran. So, I say to you, let us redouble our efforts to support the NCRI, to support the President, to support Madam Rajavi, my dear sister, in their campaign.
Naike Gruppioni
As a member of the Italian Parliament, I pledge to continue condemning the regime, to call for sanctions against human rights violators, and to support the democratic project represented by President Maryam Rajavi, because neutrality in the face of injustice is complicity in crime.
Maryam Rajavi is the most credible authority for the democratic Iranian opposition and the most credible expression of a free, democratic, and secular alternative to the clerical dictatorship.
Judy Sgro
I have to share that I have been coming here for more years than I’m going to admit to. And every year, I get more inspired. I leave here even more confident of what is coming is freedom for the Iranian people. So, it’s a great privilege to join you in support of the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom, democracy, and human rights.
The full report of the meeting can be read on the website of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.
A Scandal: The French Police Revocation of Permission for the Major Free Iran 2026 Demonstration
A mass demonstration of 100,000 people was scheduled to take place at Paris’s Vauban Square simultaneously with the “Free Iran 2026 Summit – Onward to a Democratic Republic,” condemning the execution of political prisoners in Iran and expressing support for the National Council of Resistance’s provisional government.
However, on the evening of Thursday, June 28, the Paris Police Prefecture revoked its authorization for the demonstration. Thousands of Iranians who had traveled from around the world to take part were prevented from reaching Vauban Square, and Iranians could instead be seen gathering across different parts of Paris.
In a report on the ban, Reuters wrote: “Past rallies by the group have not resulted in clashes; its last demonstration in the French capital in February 2025 ended without incident. After business hours on the evening of Thursday, June 18, the Paris Police Prefecture banned the planned demonstration of 100,000 people against the wave of political executions in Iran, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, citing bogus reasons,” it said.
Organizers had coordinated with police for two months and followed all the legal procedures, the statement said. The sudden ruling came hours after a call between France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, where they discussed the latest developments to end the Iran war.”
The Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran stated in a statement that: “The Paris Administrative Court ruled today that the police ban on the June 20 demonstration was based on generic grounds devoid of any contextual information. However, intelligence reports submitted to the Court show that the June 20 rally “is exposed to the risk of a major attack by the Iranian regime or Iranian monarchists. The judgment further states that remnants of the Shah’s regime “maintain an internal security service known as SAVAK. This ‘service’ is active in Europe and has threatened that, should the administrative authorities authorize the demonstration on June 20, 2026, it would plant a bomb. This once again proves that the monarchists are nothing more than accomplices and willing instruments of the ruling religious fascism in Iran against the Iranian people and their Resistance. The events of recent months have likewise demonstrated that fascistic monarchist gangs will stop at nothing in committing crimes against opponents of both the Shah and the mullahs.”
