The Iranian dissident satellite television channel “Simaye Azadi” has received and broadcast 20,000 messages of support for the upcoming “Free Iran 2024” gathering, doubling the number from last year’s event. These messages, primarily from young men and women across Iran, demonstrate a growing willingness to risk personal safety in support of regime change.
The participants in these video messages take precautions to conceal their identities, covering their faces and hands to avoid recognition. They display signs, photos of Maryam Rajavi (President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran), and write slogans on walls in support of the event.
This surge in support comes despite the Iranian regime’s historically harsh treatment of those associated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), a key member of the NCRI. Thousands have been arrested in recent years for similar activities, making these 20,000 messages a significant indicator of the movement’s strength and the increasing number of Iranians willing to risk their lives for change.
The regime’s actions contradict its official stance on the PMOI‘s popularity. While claiming the organization lacks support, the regime has consistently labeled the PMOI as its primary enemy for 45 years. The slogan “Death to the Hypocrites” (referring to the PMOI) is regularly chanted at official gatherings alongside “Death to America”.
Despite the regime’s efforts to suppress and defame the PMOI, including through infiltration of Western think tanks and academia, the organization continues to mobilize large crowds and maintain a significant presence among political prisoners. The NCRI reported 3,626 PMOI supporters disappeared during the 2022 uprising, indicating widespread repression.
The PMOI’s network inside Iran, known as Resistance Units, has seen a surge in activity. The number of video messages sent increased from 5,000 during the 2022 gathering to 10,000 in 2023, and now 20,000 for the upcoming 2024 event.
This growing support, despite the regime’s efforts to censor and suppress, suggests that more dissatisfied Iranians are joining the organization, turning their frustration into hope for change. The 20,000 messages from across Iran clearly indicate where the regime’s vulnerability lies, challenging decades of Tehran’s rhetoric.
