PMOI Resistance units mark Fire Festival by lighting the path to a democratic republic

2026-03-17 - 13:21

In direct defiance of the clerical regime’s repressive measures during wartime conditions, PMOI Resistance Units took to the streets on March 16, 2026 as part of the Fire Festival campaign against the regime. Across the nation, brave activists organized revolutionary campaigns, projecting a message of readiness and defiance. The central theme of these nationwide activities was the Iranian people’s unwavering support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Provisional Government and the total rejection of all forms of dictatorship. Activities spanned major cities, including Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Shiraz, Kerman, Qazvin, Sari, Zahedan, and Ilam. Activists hung banners from highway overpasses, installed posters, and distributed flyers against the backdrop of the regime’s threats to crack down on dissidents. Rejecting past and present dictatorships A major focal point of the Fire Festival campaigns was the explicit rejection of both the current theocracy and the former monarchical dictatorship. Through graffiti and slogans, activists in Sari and Tehran declared, “Death to the oppressor, whether Shah or Leader” and “Neither monarchy nor leadership, [but a] democratic republic.” In Tehran, protesters directly mocked the hereditary transition of the current regime, displaying banners that read: “Rebellious youth arise, finally King Mojtaba Khamenei sat on the throne of the velayat-e faqih.” March 16—Iran In defiance of the regime's repressive measures, PMOI Resistance Units mark the Fire Festival with activities across the country, expressing support for the NCRI's Provisional Government and reject all forms of dictatorship.#No2ShahNo2Mullahs #NCRIAlternative pic.twitter.com/OXeTXA8N2N — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 17, 2026 Activists spread their message through multiple avenues, writing graffiti, hanging banners, and holding collective actions. In Mashhad, protesters distributed flyers reading, “Freedom and a democratic republic with Maryam Rajavi,” while in Zahedan, similar messages echoed the demand for democracy. Activists also proudly displayed messages celebrating the leadership of the Iranian Resistance. Banners honored Massoud Rajavi, noting that his name is synonymous with a relentless battle for freedom and that he has taught this generation to break dead-ends through ever-greater sacrifices. Banners in Tehran, Ilam, and Kerman boldly declared, “Let the people of the world know, Massoud is our leader.” Mobilizing for a democratic republic The nationwide campaign comes in the wake of a pivotal announcement. On February 28, 2026, as the Middle East plunged into renewed military confrontation with the United States and Israel launching sweeping strikes against the Iranian regime’s military and nuclear infrastructure, the NCRI formally announced the formation of a Provisional Government. This provides a clear roadmap to transfer sovereignty back to the Iranian people following the overthrow of the clerical regime. Mashhad Emblem of the National Liberation Army of Iran pic.twitter.com/F4YZJDnO0f — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 17, 2026 The Provisional Government declaration draws upon a constitutional precedent established by the Resistance in October 1981, aiming to systematically dismantle the institutionalized suppression of the past four decades. Banners across Tehran clearly echoed this mission, stating: “Announcement of the Provisional Government by the National Council of Resistance to transfer sovereignty to the Iranian people [and] establish a democratic republic based on Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan.” The political foundation of this transition is Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, which Resistance Units actively promoted. The platform mandates the complete rejection of absolute clerical rule in favor of a republic founded on universal suffrage, pluralism, and the separation of religion and state. It also calls for the total dissolution of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence, ensures gender equality, abolishes the death penalty, and commits to a non-nuclear Iran. Banners in cities like Karaj and Qazvin celebrated this announcement, echoing Maryam Rajavi’s sentiment that declaring the Provisional Government means raising the flag of democracy and popular sovereignty. The solution must come from within As foreign military strikes targeted the regime’s illicit nuclear and missile programs—programs the Iranian Resistance first exposed three decades ago—Mrs. Rajavi issued an urgent message prioritizing the safety of ordinary citizens. She called on the public and youth in the Resistance Units to care for civilians, particularly children and the elderly. Crucially, while military strikes pound regime targets, the Iranian Resistance maintains that the ultimate solution cannot come from the outside. “I declare to the international community that only the people of Iran possess the legitimacy to determine the political future of their country,” Rajavi stated. “Iran is not its regime. Iran is its people.” Reaffirming the core stance of “Neither Shah nor Mullahs,” she warned against remnants of monarchical fascism seeking to hijack the democratic revolution.