Rome, July 17, 2026 — Former President of the UN Human Rights Council Joachim Rücker delivered a comprehensive analysis at the conference “Iran Beyond War, the Power of the People,” firmly rejecting both foreign military intervention and diplomatic appeasement while championing support for the Iranian people and their organized resistance.

Rücker noted that current military actions fail to address the core suffering of the population and suggested that stopping executions could still be a reachable goal for those with influence: “Maybe stopping the executions immediately would have been a reachable goal for the United States. So, whoever has influence could still insert that into the game and should in my view.”

He cautioned against mistaking the failure of military superiority for proof of the regime’s strength, stressing that the theocracy is severely weakened by structural and economic crisis, widespread uprisings, and internal divisions. “The failure of overwhelming military superiority to bring about regime change should not be mistaken for proof of the regime’s strength,” he said.

Rücker championed the “Third Option” of robust international support for the Iranian people and formal recognition of the democratic alternative. Praising the European Parliament, he stated: “It would mean supporting and recognizing… a credible, organized opposition like the National Council of Resistance, and I think the European Parliament has taken a leadership role in this, and I would like to congratulate its members on this achievement.”

Addressing monarchist groups, he remarked on unsettling extremist undertones observed in Germany, including people wearing SAVAK T-shirts: “So that speaks volumes, I think.”