On May 31, 2025, Paulo Casaca, former Member of the European Parliament, delivered a powerful address at The Second Free Iran 2025 Conference supporting the Iranian Resistance. The gathering brought together lawmakers and civil society leaders from around the world to stand in solidarity with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and to advocate for a democratic future for Iran.
Speaking directly to Maryam Rajavi and attendees — both in person and via a live connection to Ashraf 3 in Albania — Casaca commended the Iranian Resistance for their unwavering determination. He paid tribute to those who have faced violence, persecution, and even assassination in their pursuit of freedom, calling them “true heroes” of the cause.
Casaca highlighted major developments over the past year that signal growing cracks in the Iranian regime, including the weakening of its regional proxies and the erosion of support from allies like Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He also pointed to widespread protests, especially by Iranian workers such as lorry drivers, as evidence of deepening unrest within the country.
However, Casaca cautioned that the regime is intensifying its disinformation campaigns, particularly around human rights abuses, the death penalty, and women’s rights. He called on the international community to remain vigilant, expose lies, and stand united in support of a free and democratic Iran.
Ex-Portuguese MEP @paulocasaca1: To those in Ashraf 3—you deserve more than protection. You are heroes. You stood firm under brutal attacks, sometimes with bare hands. Many were killed, but you never quit. You will be remembered and honored above all.https://t.co/zusu47KqZJ
— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) May 31, 2025
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the speech for clarity and readability.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give your warmest welcome to Mr. Paulo Casaca. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Dear Madam Rajavi, distinguished guests, all members of the Iranian community here, but most of all — those in Albania, those in Ashraf 3 — I greet you with all my respect.
Lars correctly noted that the United States Congress, in its majority, approved a resolution for your protection.
But I have to tell you — you deserve much more than protection. You are the heroes. You have stood firm under tremendously difficult circumstances. You have faced the enemy — sometimes with your bare hands. Dozens and dozens have been murdered. But you never quit. You stayed.
You are the heroes. You are the ones who will be remembered and honored most among us. And it’s true — as has already been said — that since we last gathered, the regime has endured disaster after disaster.
They’ve watched their proxies — the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah — take massive blows. Most importantly, they have lost Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
They’ve been hit again and again. And now, despite a horrendous surge in executions, they face a wave of unrest — thousands and thousands of lorry drivers confronting them, demanding justice, calling for a different system.
This shows how truly desperate the regime is. And we know them. We know how they operate. When they suffer losses, they respond not only with violence, but with deception. They escalate disinformation.
Whenever there are concessions, they exploit them to advance aggression. That is clear. But even in the face of firmness, we must remain vigilant — because their capacity for deceit is relentless.
Just look at the new president. They keep saying: “Oh, he’s against the death penalty. That era is over.” It’s a lie. He holds the record for executions in Iran.
The same is true for the regime’s claims about women’s rights and dress codes. More lies. They are compulsive liars. And this — this struggle — is not only your struggle. It is a vital struggle for all of us.
We must expose their deception. We must be prepared for their lies. And we must wage this fight with determination — even if it is a different kind of war than the one you in Ashraf have fought in Iraq and elsewhere.
It is a war of truth, of resistance, of moral clarity. And I believe that if we continue to invest in this cause — with the right will and unity — victory will come sooner rather than later.
Thank you all — and let us hope that we will all join together in Iran, for a great celebration of freedom.
Thank you.
