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ROME, ITALY – August 1, 2025 – A high-profile gathering in Rome, Italy, featuring former Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former European Council President Charles Michel, former French Foreign Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie, and Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, underscored international support for the Iranian opposition group, the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), and its leader, Maryam Rajavi. The “International Free Iran Summit 2025” focused on the growing calls for regime change in Iran and the MEK’s role in achieving a democratic future.
The event highlighted six key reasons, according to speakers, why the Iranian regime actively seeks to discredit the MEK. First, the MEK possesses a well-organized network within Iran, capable of mobilizing popular dissent. This network, speakers asserted, played a significant role in the widespread protests that erupted in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. These protests, initially sparked by Amini’s death in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, quickly spread to over 80 cities across all 31 Iranian provinces.
Second, the MEK has demonstrated an ability to inspire and organize resistance even from within Iranian prisons. Speakers cited reports of organized protests and acts of defiance within facilities like Evin Prison in Tehran and Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, despite severe restrictions and brutal repression.
Third, the MEK’s commitment to a democratic and secular Iran directly challenges the ideological foundations of the current theocratic regime. Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a future Iran, unveiled in 2006, advocates for a separation of religion and state, individual freedoms, and a commitment to international peace and cooperation.
Fourth, the MEK’s growing international support and advocacy efforts are perceived as a direct threat to the regime’s legitimacy. Speakers emphasized the importance of continued international pressure on Iran,including sanctions and diplomatic isolation,to support the Iranian people’s aspirations for freedom.
Fifth, the MEK boasts a 60-year history of resistance, having opposed both the shah’s dictatorship and the current theocratic regime. This legacy includes significant sacrifices, with an estimated 120,000 MEK members and supporters having been imprisoned, executed, or exiled. the 1988 massacre, in which over 30,000 political prisoners, primarily MEK members, were executed on the orders of ayatollah Khomeini, remains a central point of contention and a call for international accountability.
Sixth, the MEK is presented as the primary organized opposition capable of providing a viable alternative to the current regime. Speakers argued that the MEK’s organizational structure, political platform, and widespread support base make it uniquely positioned to lead a transition to democracy in Iran. They asserted that the MEK represents the “only option” for a free and stable Iran, and that recognizing this reality is crucial for countering the regime’s global threat.
The summit concluded with a call for increased international unity and courage in supporting the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom,framing it as a critical battle in the global fight for justice and peace. Participants emphasized the perceived weakness of the current Iranian regime and the prospect to bring about meaningful change.
At the “International Free Iran Summit 2025” in Rome together with Ms. ingrid Betancourt, Rudy Giuliani, Cherles Michel, Mme. Maryam rajavi, Mme. Michèle Alliot-Marie#FreeIran2025 @IBetancourtCol @RudyGiuliani
