Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in a message to a major rally of Iranians and supporters of the Iranian Resistance in New York on September 23, referred to the regime ruling Iran as one that does not represent the Iranian people, is an enemy of the people, and poses a threat to regional and global peace and security.
Mrs. Rajavi called on the international community to listen to the voice of the Iranian people, reject both war and appeasement, and recognize the Iranian people’s struggle and their organized Resistance for democratic change. She also called for recognition of the Provisional Government for Peace and Freedom proposed by the NCRI based on its Ten-Point Plan.
Day 2 of Rally by freedom-loving Iranians outside the UN General Assembly, New York
“The time has come to listen to the voice of the people of Iran, who want neither war nor dictatorship.”#FreeIran2026NYRally#UNGA https://t.co/mWNtk1QYnl pic.twitter.com/XdnByfvp1M— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) September 23, 2026
The full text of Maryam Rajavi’s message is available below.
Maryam Rajavi: The Regime Ruling Iran Does Not Represent the Iranian People; It Is an Enemy of the People and Responsible for the Killing of Iran’s Young Generation
Dear fellow Iranians, Distinguished personalities,
I send my greetings to all of you who have gathered here today.
You have come to protest against the presence of the President and representative of the religious fascism in Iran and the Godfather of terrorism, execution and warmongering.
As leaders from around the world gather at the United Nations General Assembly, you have gathered to protest the occupation of Iran’s seat by the religious dictatorship.
Time to Listen to the Voice of the People of Iran
Today, your message to them is clear: The time has come to listen to the voice of the Iranian people.
The people of Iran want neither war nor dictatorship. They want freedom, a democratic republic, and the right to decide their own future.
The regime that rules Iran does not represent the Iranian people. It is an enemy of the people and responsible for the killing of Iran’s young generation.
It is also a threat to peace and security in the region and the world. The people of Iran are determined to end this dictatorship. As long as this regime stays in power, repression, executions, terrorism, and warmongering will continue. The ruling clerics are trying to shift attention away from the crisis inside Iran by creating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and across the region.
But the real battle is between the Iranian people and the organized Resistance, on one side, and the religious dictatorship on the other.
Regime Fears Iranian People’s Uprising
In recent days, the regime’s security forces have been placed on high alert.
The Revolutionary Guards have held two large military exercises in the streets of Tehran and 15 other cities across Iran.
Basij forces have been stationed at gas stations. The ruling clerics are deeply afraid of another uprising.
Rising prices have created serious social unrest across the country. Workers, nurses, the unemployed, and retirees have once again taken to the streets in daily protests.
At the same time, Resistance Units have carried out hundreds of anti-repression actions over the past two months.
Political prisoners have intensified their resistance. From behind prison walls, they are calling on the people to rise up and protest.
Yes, the ruling regime has never been weaker than it is today. The death of Khamenei has created deep instability within the regime.
An intense power struggle has gotten out of control among the ruling factions. Some members of the regime’s so-called parliament are calling for the removal of Pezeshkian the regime’s current president.
Others are demanding the trial of former president Rouhani.
The Clerical Regime Needs a Strategy of War and Repression
The clerical regime relies on war and repression as a matter of survival.
This strategy includes continuing conflict, increasing the activities of its proxy groups in the region, pursuing its nuclear weapons program, executing political prisoners, and raising prices.
But this strategy has deadly consequences for its very survival. Several major events taken place in Iran over the past year have significant importance.
They include two wars, a major uprising, a massacre, and the expansion of Resistance Units activities.
These events have revealed important facts in three areas.
– First, as the Iranian Resistance has emphasized for many years, this regime will not give up the pillars of its survival.
It will not stop repressing the Iranian people. It will not give up its nuclear program, its missile program, or its support for war and proxy groups in the region.
– Second, for many years it has been clear that appeasement of this regime does not work. It only encourages more human rights abuse and more warmongering.
– Third, over the past year, it has also become clear that war and foreign military intervention are not the solution to Iran’s problem. Neither war nor appeasement is the answer.
The solution is the overthrow of this regime by the people of Iran and their organized Resistance. This is a truth that we declared 22 years ago. Over the past year everyone has seen it for themselves.
Day 2 of Rally by freedom-loving Iranians outside the UN General Assembly, New York
The regime that rules Iran does not represent the Iranian people. It is an enemy of the people and responsible for the killing of Iran's young generation. It is also a threat to peace and… pic.twitter.com/EmM6738590
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) September 23, 2026
Despite war and intense repression, the Iranian Resistance has continued to grow its organized network in cities across Iran.
The Resistance Units have also carried out major and unprecedented operations. The remnants of the former Shah’s dictatorship, who dreamed of taking Iran back to the past, have also received their answer.
They hoped to come to power through foreign military action or by repeating the Chalabi model in Iraq. Their plan was to bring back SAVAK, together with torture, repression, and military rule. That will never happen.
Yes, the solution for Iran is democratic change by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance. This change is within reach.
Today, we call on the international community to recognize the struggle of the Iranian people and youth against the IRGC to overthrow the regime, and to recognize the Provisional Government for Peace and Freedom proposed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, based on its Ten-Point Plan.
Long live freedom!
Long live the people of Iran!
