Former Finnish Prime Minister Anneli Jäätteenmäki reaffirmed her support for the Iranian people’s fight for democracy during her speech at the Free Iran 2026 World Summit in Paris. She contrasted the freedoms enjoyed in democratic societies with the atmosphere of repression imposed by Tehran, emphasizing the immense personal risks faced by Iranians who organize and advocate for political change.
According to Jäätteenmäki, Iran’s future will not be shaped by military intervention, diplomatic negotiations, or international inaction. Instead, she argued that genuine transformation depends on the determination and resilience of the Iranian people, who continue to challenge the ruling establishment despite facing imprisonment, persecution, and even execution. She said their courage demonstrates that authoritarian systems built on fear are ultimately vulnerable.
Referring to the unexpected collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union, Jäätteenmäki noted that while the exact timing of political change is impossible to predict, history has repeatedly shown that movements driven by the pursuit of freedom can achieve lasting success.
She also expressed strong backing for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), describing Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan as a comprehensive framework for building a democratic, secular, and stable Iran. Closing her address, Jäätteenmäki reiterated her solidarity with the Iranian opposition and voiced confidence that, in time, leadership under Maryam Rajavi would help secure a peaceful, free, and democratic future for the country.
The full text of Anneli Jäätteenmäki’s speech follows:
Mrs. Rajavi, dear friends,
The video we just saw was made yesterday, here in Paris. It is unbelievable.
But, if it had been possible to do this kind of event in Tehran, the end [result would have] been executions.
That’s why we are here. We want to say no to a regime built on systematic repression, rising executions, and detentions against its own people, the Iranian people.
We have come here to say that the Iranian people have the right to live in peace, in safety, and in democratic freedom, without fear.
I must say that for me, it is very difficult to imagine living all the time in fear, without democratic freedoms.
It is easy to say, to promote human rights, but to try to live without the right to say what you will and to do what you will is difficult.
That’s why we are standing with you and your people to get a free, safe, and democratic Iran.
But the recent uprising has made it clear that change will not come from war, nor from deals or silence.
It will come from those on the ground—those people who are ready to do things that are difficult, that are harmful to them, and that might lead to detention or execution.
And because the people are ready to do that, the regime in Iran is so fearful, because the people are not behind them but want change.
Dictatorships cannot stay in power if they are built on fear.
They weaken every day. We know from history that dictatorships have fallen, and that will happen also in Iran.
But we don’t know when, and it can happen so quickly when it is the right time.
We know that when the Berlin Wall fell, we couldn’t imagine it. Could you imagine what happened in the Soviet Union? One day, there was no Soviet Union.
So, history is on the side of freedom.
I believe in a free Iran, and I believe in Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
It is the way to a safe, free, and democratic Iran.
And one day, sooner or later, we will see a government led by Maryam Rajavi.