Global leaders champion Iranian women’s leadership and the democratic resistance

2026-02-22 - 17:54

On February 21, 2026, ahead of International Women’s Day, a distinguished array of global political figures, lawmakers, human rights advocates, and academic leaders convened for a landmark conference titled, “Women’s leadership, an imperative for a free Iran, a democratic republic.” The gathering took place under the heavy and heart-wrenching shadow of the late December 2025 to January 2026 nationwide uprising in Iran—a massive mobilization that spread to hundreds of cities across all 31 provinces. During this period, the ruling clerical regime unleashed a brutal crackdown, massacring thousands of unarmed protesters in the streets and subsequently attempting to obscure the atrocities through severe internet blackouts and mass arrests. Despite the grim backdrop, the atmosphere at the conference was one of resolute determination rather than despair. The event brought together international luminaries—ranging from former heads of state and ministers to current parliamentarians from Europe, North America, and Latin America—who united to express profound solidarity with the Iranian people. Conference: "Women’s leadership, an imperative for a free Iran, a democratic republic"#IWD2026 https://t.co/s3tAC3p4Ty — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 21, 2026 The speeches systematically dismantled the legitimacy of the current theocracy, as well as any nostalgic push for a return to the monarchical dictatorship of the Pahlavi era. Instead, the diverse coalition of speakers focused on the indispensable role of Iranian women in spearheading the resistance. They examined the profound human rights violations occurring inside the country, called for immediate and concrete shifts in international policy toward the regime, and offered robust support for the democratic alternative presented by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its Ten-Point Plan. Maryam Rajavi’s Vision for a Free and Democratic Iran In her keynote address, Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, delivered a powerful message framing the recent uprisings not as a tragedy of victimhood, but as a definitive march toward liberation. Highlighting the pivotal role of women in the January uprising, she stated, “In this uprising, women have once again proven that they are not powerless victims, but the very force of change.” Mrs. Rajavi underscored that the social conditions for the overthrow of the regime are fully ripe, and that a democratic alternative must inherently feature the active participation of women in political leadership. Mrs. Rajavi pointed to the NCRI’s long-standing commitment to gender equality, noting that women currently comprise more than half of the resistance parliament. She firmly rejected any governance based on coercion, declaring, “We categorically reject any form of compulsion or imposition: No to compulsory hijab, no to compulsory religion, and no to compulsory governance.” This is the cry of over 40 million Iranian women who say: We do not want a patriarchal and oppressive system. We want neither the crown nor the turban. We want neither the Shah, nor the mullahs, nor their heirs. Indeed, the era of regimes that impose oppression upon the women of... pic.twitter.com/w0XH2tHSkw — Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 21, 2026 Outlining her policy recommendations, Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the “aftermath of the [regime’s] overthrow can only be managed by an alternative that has already acquired the necessary readiness, capability, and capacity.” She called on the international community to recognize the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan, which guarantees the separation of religion and state, equal rights for all nationalities, and full gender equality. For Mrs. Rajavi, the ultimate test of any true democracy in Iran rests entirely on the status of its women. She concluded with an appeal to global citizens: “I call upon conscious and free-thinking women across the globe to stand with and support the women of Iran.” The Bravery of Iranian Women and Their Role in the Fight for Freedom Throughout the conference, international speakers continuously highlighted that the courage of Iranian women is not a recent phenomenon, but the culmination of a century-long struggle against subjugation. Dominique Attias, Chair of the Board of Directors of the European Lawyers Foundation, contextualized this historical presence, noting, “Your history is not a parenthesis between two oppressions. It is a continuity of political presence.” Attias stressed that Iranian women have transitioned from being symbols of a stifled society into central political actors who serve as the “motor of change.” .@AttiasDominique: This regime does not only fear slogans. It fears a generation that is no longer afraid. This movement is powerful because women, men, students, workers, and minorities unite. We cannot treat this regime as an ordinary interlocutor while it massacres and... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 This sentiment was echoed by Ingrid Betancourt, former Colombian Senator and presidential candidate, who described the women on the frontlines of the January 2026 uprising as the true catalysts of change. Betancourt criticized the global community for failing to adequately rally behind them. She emphasized that the bravery of these women proves gender equality is not a secondary issue to be resolved post-revolution, but rather “the precondition for genuine freedom and the recovery of human rights.” Naike Gruppioni, a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, expanded on this dynamic by illustrating how the regime has weaponized misogyny to maintain control. “The regime has transformed the domination of women into a tool to consolidate its own power,” Gruppioni stated. “This is why when women rise up, the entire foundation of the system cracks. Today, they are the ones proving that this power is not untouchable.” .@naike_gruppioni: In Ashraf 3, I saw the Iranian Resistance is not an abstraction, but a concrete organization with discipline and a forward-looking vision. I met survivors of prison, persecution, and exile, and I saw not discouragement, but clarity, competence, and duty.... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Elly van Wijk, a member of the Dutch Senate, framed the violence against Iranian women within the broader global context of femicide, but with a stark political distinction. “Women are not murdered because they are vulnerable, but because of their strength, their freedom, their power, their independence, and their fight,” she observed, paying tribute to the young girls, mothers, and professionals who took to the streets during the latest uprising knowing the lethal risks involved. Support for Iran’s Uprising and Its People The magnitude of the December 2025 and January 2026 protests was a central focal point for the attendees, who recognized the uprisings as a structural shift in Iranian society’s confrontation with the state. Linda Chavez, former Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison, depicted the sheer scale of the mobilization. “We saw literally a million people in the streets of Tehran. We saw people in the streets in every one of the 31 provinces in the country of Iran,” Chavez noted. She pointed out that the protests were not entirely spontaneous but were the result of organized resistance networks capitalizing on the public’s boiling frustration over economic deprivation and severe social repression. .@chavezlinda: Maryam Rajavi deserves to lead because she has inspired followers, many of them women who lead, not just support from the sidelines. That is why this movement is powerful. It is not only a leader, but a third alternative and a plan of action for Iran’s future.... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Eve Borg Bonello, the youngest Member of Parliament in Malta’s history, painted a vivid picture of the youthful demographic driving the protests. Noting that Mahsa Amini was the same age as her when she was killed, Bonello stated, “Young people in Iran are educated, capable, and extraordinary... They do not need saving from one dictator by another. They need a chance to rebuild their country.” She praised the Iranian people for not waiting for history’s permission to act, but instead writing it themselves. The cultural uniqueness of the Iranian people’s resilience was highlighted by Zinat Mirhashemi, a member of the NCRI and a veteran of the 1979 revolution. She pointed out a profound psychological shift in how Iranians confront state violence. “The Iranian people and their survivors dance, sing, and perform anthems during mourning; they do not cry,” Mirhashemi explained. “Because they want to tell this regime, ‘You have failed, not us.’... Nowhere else in the world do we see people taking pride in the grief of their loved ones, saying, ‘This is a gift to the homeland.'” This cultural defiance, she argued, indicates that the process of liberation can no longer be halted by fear. Condemnation of the Regime’s Human Rights Violations The stark reality of the Iranian regime’s brutality was laid bare through chilling statistics and legal analyses provided by the speakers. Sarvnaz Chitsaz, Chair of the NCRI Women’s Committee, detailed the immediate aftermath of the January uprising. “So far, the National Council of Resistance of Iran has announced the names of 2,411 martyrs, including 259 women and 174 teenagers and children,” Chitsaz reported. She drew direct parallels between the regime’s recent internet blackouts to hide the body count and the infamous 1988 massacre of political prisoners, asserting that the regime relies on “black body bags and spreading terror” to silence the nation. .@IBetancourtCol: Iranians overthrew a one-party, corrupt system in 1979. We cannot replace one dictatorship nostalgia with another. Any platform that does not clearly guarantee women’s rights cannot represent Iran’s future. In the Shah’s son’s plan, women are mentioned only in... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Helen Goodman, a former British Member of Parliament, provided even more harrowing figures regarding the regime’s panicked response to the protests. “I have just been told that the latest estimate of deaths is 32,000,” Goodman revealed to the audience. “We have had independent reports of soldiers going to hospitals and homes, shooting, imprisoning, and torturing. Even this week, the BBC had a film of mourners at a cemetery; when they started to chant, soldiers started to shoot them.” Karen Smith, former UN Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), framed these actions within the context of international law. She emphasized that the recent crackdown forms part of an “ongoing, decades-long pattern of systematic, violent state repression.” Smith pointed to the UN fact-finding mission on Iran, which has highlighted the specific targeting, detention, and execution of women activists—acts that “may amount to crimes against humanity.” She reminded the global leaders present of their 2005 World Summit commitments to prevent atrocity crimes, stating unequivocally that the international community has an obligation to address the “ongoing culture of impunity” in Iran. .@honjudysgro: I call on @GOVUK and remaining European partners to adopt a full terrorist designation and take decisive measures: close regime-linked diplomatic fronts, expel its agents, and cut off its financial lifelines. Sustained, coordinated pressure is essential.... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Judy Sgro, a Canadian Member of Parliament, underscored the domestic legal mechanisms being utilized by the regime to justify the slaughter, noting that Iran’s head of the judiciary had ordered “decisive and swift action against protesters—a directive widely interpreted as a call for mass arrest and executions.” The Need for a Tough Policy on Iran’s Regime and the IRGC Faced with the regime’s escalating domestic violence and regional belligerence, international delegates called for an immediate cessation of appeasement policies. A primary demand across the conference was the international proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Anneli Jäätteenmäki, the former Prime Minister of Finland, celebrated the European Parliament’s recent resolution to place the IRGC on its terrorist list, a sentiment echoed by several other European delegates. Judy Sgro detailed Canada’s proactive measures, stating, “We took an important step at the end of [20]24-[20]25 by finally listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization... recognizing its central role in repression at home and the destabilization abroad.” She directly challenged allied nations to follow suit: “I call on the United Kingdom and all remaining European partners to adopt a full terrorist designation and to accompany it with decisive measures, including closing regime-linked diplomatic fronts, expelling its agents, and cutting off its financial lifelines.” .@HelenGoodmanBA: I will make it my mission to tell London that @GOVUK must designate the #IRGC as a terrorist organization, as they uphold this violent regime. In a new democratic Iran, women will have full leadership, equal rights, and a total role in democracy. #IWD2026... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Ana Helena Chacón Echeverría, the former Vice President of Costa Rica, warned that the IRGC’s threat is not localized to the Middle East. “The same violence used to silence the women in the street is exported globally... In Latin America, we have been seeing the malignant influence of the [regime],” she explained, detailing how Tehran exports instability and collaborates with criminal networks to blackmail sovereign governments. Dr. Azadeh Akhbari, representing the Iranian youth delegation and a survivor who lost eight family members to the regime’s executions, directed a poignant plea at European policymakers. Pointing out the fragility of Western democracies, she stated, “Europe must do more. It must end the policy of appeasement, close the embassies that serve as nests for spies, and stop the Iranian lobby. These are not just political options; they are necessary steps to protect our collective freedom.” Support for the NCRI, the Ten-Point Plan, and the Third Option As the consensus solidified around the necessity of regime change, speakers validated the National Council of Resistance of Iran as the sole legitimate, democratic alternative. The speakers advocated for a “Third Option”—rejecting both foreign military intervention and diplomatic appeasement in favor of empowering the Iranian people and their organized resistance to enact change from within. Former PM and former Minister of Justice of Finland @jaatteenmaki: The Iranian people continue to live under systematic oppression, and the world is witnessing the brutality of the ayatollahs’ regime. But despite heavy repression, the regime has never been able to stop... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Michèle Alliot-Marie, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, lauded Maryam Rajavi’s steadfast convictions over the decades. Alliot-Marie highlighted the structural integrity of the NCRI, pointing out that “more than 56% of the participants are women.” She argued that no regime can be considered democratic if it does not integrate women into all decision-making bodies, a standard the NCRI has already implemented internally. Linda Chavez effectively dismantled the disinformation campaigns directed at the NCRI and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) by the regime and its detractors. Addressing accusations printed in Western media, Chavez stated, “I found that very interesting because I have to tell you, if this were a Marxist organization, I would not be standing here right now.” She pointed directly to the economic and social policies in Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, which explicitly calls for justice and equal opportunities “in a free market economy.” Lawmakers from Spain and Italy detailed their respective parliamentary resolutions formally endorsing the NCRI’s platform. Pilar Rojo, Chair of the Spanish Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that the Spanish Senate had unanimously passed a resolution explicitly supporting “Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan and the aspirations of the people of Iran toward a free, democratic, and secular country.” Rosa Romero, Chair of the Spanish Senate Equality Committee, added that the plan’s vision of separating religion from the state and abolishing the death penalty aligns perfectly with universal human rights standards. Former MEP @RookmakerDorien: When I first encountered the NCRI, I was warned they were a "sect" or "communists," but as a professional risk manager, I did my own investigation. I questioned everyone—from the European Parliament to regime agents. I found the regime's agents were... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Dorien Rookmaker, a former Member of the European Parliament, shared her personal journey of investigating the resistance movement. Using her professional background in risk management, she cross-examined the claims made by regime agents against the NCRI. “It was inevitable for me that the choice I made to support your organization and you, Maryam Rajavi, was the right one,” Rookmaker said, noting that while the regime’s agents told incongruent lies, the NCRI offered a compelling, truthful vision for democracy. Support for the PMOI Resistance Units The conference deeply acknowledged that the scale and persistence of the protests in Iran are not accidental, but the result of meticulous organization by PMOI Resistance Units on the ground. Vida Niktalean, representing the Women’s Association for Democracy in Iran, spoke of her forty-year journey with the resistance. She credited the resilience of the movement to the purposeful empowerment of women within the PMOI/MEK. “They learned to make decisions, to lead, to be accountable, and not to retreat even in the most difficult conditions,” Niktalean said, emphasizing that the organized presence of women in the Resistance Units is the direct catalyst for transforming Iran’s power structures. Dr. Donna Hughes, Professor Emerita at the University of Rhode Island, summarized testimonies from the morning’s expert panels, highlighting the words of a former political prisoner who had endured solitary confinement and torture. The survivor’s primary message, Hughes recounted, was a call for more women to join the Resistance Units inside Iran, reiterating the movement’s rallying cry: “we can and we must.” Former MP @elizamparutti: I am deeply impressed by the inmates in 56 prisons across Iran who hold hunger strikes every Tuesday to say: "Stop the death penalty, stop the repression." We must stand with them. #StopExecutionsInIran https://t.co/CF6AlyRo9N — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Elisabetta Zamparutti, a former Italian Member of Parliament, highlighted the profound bravery of the political prisoners affiliated with the resistance. She drew the audience’s attention to a deeply moving form of protest occurring within the regime’s own dungeons. “I am strongly impressed by the inmates in 56 prisons across Iran who, every Tuesday, hold a hunger strike to say, ‘Stop the death penalty, stop the repression, stop the oppression,'” Zamparutti noted, revealing that she personally participates in the strike weekly to show solidarity with the organized resistance elements enduring captivity. Rejection of Both Shah and Mullahs’ Regimes: A Vision for a True Republic A recurring and emphatic theme throughout the conference was the absolute rejection of any return to the monarchical dictatorship of the Pahlavi dynasty. Speakers systematically dismantled the historical revisionism attempting to portray the former Shah as a champion of women’s rights or democratic progress, uniting behind the Iranian people’s popular slogan: “Neither Crown nor Turban.” Carla Sands, former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, delivered a scathing historical rebuke of the Shah’s supposed progressive stance on gender equality. She quoted directly from a 1973 interview between the Shah and journalist Oriana Fallaci, in which the Shah stated, “You may be equal in the eyes of the law, but not, I beg your pardon for saying so, in actual ability... You’ve never produced a Michelangelo or a Bach. You’ve never even produced a great cook.” Sands also cited a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters where the Shah claimed women, on average, were not equal to men. “A dictatorship, by definition, cannot offer gender equality,” Sands concluded, validating the Iranian people’s refusal to accept Reza Pahlavi as a viable democratic alternative. Professor Emerita @dignitydh: All of the speakers discussed women in leadership in @Mojahedineng and NCRI and enthusiastically endorsed @Maryam_Rajavi and the role she has played in leadership and shaping the ideas of women’s emancipation and empowerment. #IWD2026... — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2026 Ingrid Betancourt echoed this dismissal of the monarchist faction, criticizing Western elements attempting to elevate the Shah’s son. “Lineage is not legitimacy; inheritance is not a democratic credential,” Betancourt declared. She pointed out that any political platform that buries women’s rights in vague references—as the monarchist platform does—amounts to the “outright erasure of the legacy of women in Iran.” Helena Carreiras, the former Minister of National Defense of Portugal, drew on her own country’s history of overthrowing a 50-year authoritarian rule in 1974. “Democracy does not rhyme with dynasty,” Carreiras stated, affirming that Iran requires leaders legitimized by the people, not inherited titles. Zinat Mirhashemi proudly identified herself as a “79er” who fought to overthrow the monarchical regime. Dismissively referring to the former dictator’s heir as the “Shah’s kid,” she made it clear that the generation that bled to remove the monarchy will never accept its reinstatement. Rosalía Arteaga Serrano, the former President of Ecuador, summarized the collective sentiment flawlessly, stating that after reviewing the historical record, “we must say very loud and repeatedly: No to the Shah, no to the mullahs.” As the 2026 International Women’s Day conference in Paris drew to a close, the consensus among the global dignitaries was undeniable: the status quo in Iran is completely untenable, and the era of dictatorial rule—whether adorned with a turban or a crown—has permanently expired. The thousands of lives lost during the recent nationwide uprising have irrevocably severed any remaining ties between the Iranian people and the theocratic state. Moving forward, the international community faces a stark moral and political imperative: to abandon failed policies of appeasement, to legally designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity, and to formally recognize the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people. As demonstrated by the leaders gathered in Paris, the path to a free, secular, and non-nuclear Iranian republic is inextricably linked to the empowerment, courage, and political leadership of Iranian women.