Maryam Rajavi’s Message to the Iran Resistance Rally in Washington, D.C.

Maryam Rajavi: It Is Time to Rise Up

Fellow compatriots,
Rebellious friends,
Supporters of the Iranian Resistance,

I send my greetings to you and your rally and march, which proudly upholds the flag of Iran’s resistance and uprising.
On this day, International Women’s Day, your demonstration is intertwined with the struggle and resistance of thousands of passionate and determined women who have risen over the past four decades for the freedom of their homeland.
As we believe and have always declared:
– Women are the force for change.
– Active and equal participation of women in political leadership is essential for freedom and democracy.
– The liberation of women is the prerequisite for the liberation of men.
– And the overthrow of the Velayat-e Faqih regime will be achieved through women’s leadership.
Yes, Women- Resistance-Freedom

The Mullahs’ Nuclear Program: A Tool for Extorting the West

Compatriots,
Khamenei’s repeated defeats, the crumbling of his regime, the paralysis of his government, its failure to solve the nation’s problems, and above all, the unshakable resolve of a nation fed up to the brink to bring down the regime all convey one undeniable message: The time to rise is now.
Today, Khamenei is drawing battle lines against the Iranian people through relentless executions. At the same time, he is accelerating his nuclear bomb-making program to threaten and extort the international community.
In contrast, the Iranian Resistance was the first to expose the regime’s most secret nuclear sites and the details of its unpatriotic nuclear program. We have consistently insisted—most notably during the 2015 negotiations with the P5+1—that all of the regime’s nuclear sites and uranium enrichment facilities must be completely dismantled. Unfortunately, negotiations and appeasement only brought the regime closer to acquiring a nuclear bomb.
Today, once again, we reaffirm that the first and most urgent step to prevent this warmongering regime that exports terrorism from obtaining a nuclear bomb is to strip it of its nuclear program completely.
But let there be no doubt that the ultimate and decisive solution lies in the overthrow of this regime by the Iranian people and their Resistance.
To turn the dark page of Iran’s history, the Resistance Units and their leading women, who stand at the forefront, must be supporterd. They are the components of the army of freedom, the primary force for change, and Iran’s freedom fighters.

Resistance, the Inalienable Right of the Iranian People

For change in Iran, we rely on the brave and selfless sons and daughters of our nation, along with the unwavering support of our people. We have never sought, nor will we ever seek, the intervention of foreign powers to fight on our behalf or bring us change. Our strength in this battle, both moral and material, is rooted in our independence.
This struggle stems from the Iranian people’s unquenchable thirst for freedom—a thirst for which over 100,000 martyrs have made the ultimate sacrifice in uprisings and resistance against this regime.
We are confronting a criminal regime that has blocked every avenue for dissent, resorting to street massacres, blinding, the hanging of innocent youth, and mass arrests of thousands of people.
Indeed, against a regime that wages an unrelenting war on its people, using organized violence and its criminal Revolutionary Guards, what response could be more powerful than an organized uprising and resistance waged by the Resistance Units?
Our message is the same as the one underlined in the U.S. Declaration of Independence:
“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.”
Yes, this is the inalienable right of the Iranian people.
The recent resolution sponsored by over 150 lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives is a significant example of bipartisan support for the legitimate rights of the Iranian people. They have emphasized that they recognize the right of the Iranian people and the Resistance Units to overthrow the Velayat-e-Faqih regime and support the Iranian Resistance’s roadmap toward change in Iran.
Indeed, recognizing the struggle of the Iranian people and the rebellious youth against the Revolutionary Guards to overthrow this regime is essential for regional and global peace, stability, and security.

No Chance, No Coincidence—The Solution is Organized Resistance and Uprising

Now, let the so-called reformists, both inside and outside the country, and those who are not inclined to sacrifice or pay a price continue to preach the sermon of non-violence.
The people rising in rebellion for freedom pays no heed to them.
There is another group that, through commotion and clamor in support of the previous dictatorship seeks to aid the survival of the current regime.
At some point in the past, a Russian Cossack Colonel and later an English General, and on a third occasion the coup plotters of August 19, 1953, each in turn crafted a king for Iran. Now, it is the turn of the IRGC to do the same. This means the neo-fascist monarchists are nothing more than pawns of the ruling religious fascism.
In other words, as Massoud Rajavi said two years ago, these games serve the interests of the clerical regime, opposing the people’s front, revolution, and democratic republic. But with the determination and will of the people of Iran, the charade of monarchism and royalty will be brought to end.

Sisters and brothers,
Dear fellow countrymen,
Millions of plundered people writhing in pain and anger,
Now is the time to rise.
Neither chance, nor coincidence, nor imaginary forces-none of these will cause change in Iran. This regime will neither collapse nor will it implode from within.
There is only one way. That one and only way is organized resistance and uprising.
Everything depends on the will and struggle of the children of Iran. Everything depends on whether we are willing to pay the full price for freedom. This is why we have come to the forefront. And we declare: Now is the time to rise.

Long live freedom,
Long live the people of Iran,
Salutations to all of you.