In a powerful message addressed to Iranian demonstrators across more than 15 cities in Europe, North America, and Australia, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), paid tribute to the fallen heroes of April 19, 1972 and 1975. These gatherings, held by supporters of the Iranian Resistance and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), served as both a commemoration of past sacrifices and a renewed commitment to the democratic revolution of the Iranian people.

Message to the Rally of Iranians Honoring the Heroes of April 19, 1972, and 1975
No to the Shah, No to the Mullahs — Yes to a Democratic Future for Iran
The people of Iran are standing firm. Through a democratic revolution, they are determined to build a future where there’s no… pic.twitter.com/BmMcsWdyaj

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) April 19, 2025

Mrs. Rajavi began her statement by saluting the spirit and unity of the demonstrators, who came together to honor those who gave their lives for freedom. She emphasized the shared commitment to a historic slogan: “No to the Shah, no to the Mullahs — victory to the democratic revolution of the Iranian people.”

Reflecting on the brutal executions carried out by the Shah’s notorious secret police, SAVAK, in 1975, she highlighted the execution of nine revolutionary prisoners — among them two PMOI members and seven Fedayeen. These martyrs, she said, symbolized the regime’s desperation and its ultimate moral and political bankruptcy. She held the Shah and his chief executioner, Parviz Sabeti, responsible for these atrocities, drawing a parallel between the violence of the Shah’s regime and that of the current theocratic rulers.

Mrs. Rajavi paid special tribute to Commander Kazem Zul-Anvar and Mostafa Javan Khoshdel, whose courage under torture and resistance within prison saved fellow leaders and kept the resistance alive. Their sacrifices, she asserted, remain enduring symbols of Iran’s revolutionary resilience.

She then turned to the martyrs of April 19, 1972 — Nasser Sadegh, Ali Bakeri, Mohammad Bazargani, and Ali Mihandoust — whose courtroom declarations turned the tables on the Shah’s regime and electrified a nation yearning for justice. Rajavi recalled how their words echoed beyond the courtroom, exposing the cruelty of the monarchy and laying the groundwork for future revolution.

The message also evoked the memory of Massoud Rajavi, who, during a 1980 ceremony in their honor, emphasized the deeply personal and spiritual commitment required to walk the path of sacrifice for freedom — one not merely spoken of, but lived with heart, soul, and bone.

Mrs. Rajavi underlined that the courage of these revolutionaries still shapes Iran’s political landscape today. Their blood, she said, prevents the distortion of history and blocks any attempt to sanitize or revive the legacies of both the Shah and Khomeini. She reaffirmed that the crimes of the current regime cannot erase the brutalities of the past, nor can they halt the people’s pursuit of a free and democratic Iran.

Ending on a note of unyielding defiance and hope, Rajavi reminded the world that the Iranian people’s resistance — spanning over 120 years — represents a historic stand against tyranny. With six decades of relentless struggle behind them, the people of Iran reject both regression and stagnation. Their goal remains clear: to establish a democratic republic based on freedom, equality, secular governance, and the Iranian Resistance’s Ten-Point Plan.

In her final words, Maryam Rajavi declared, “Long live freedom, hail to the martyrs. Victory is yours!”