On May 16, 2025, the city of Cuneo hosted a major conference titled “Maryam Rajavi’s Call – No to Executions in Iran”, uniting a broad coalition of elected officials, political leaders, and human rights advocates. The event was a forceful condemnation of the Iranian regime’s wave of executions, its support for terrorism, and expansionist policies. Participants pledged support for the democratic vision outlined in the Ten-Point Plan of Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The conference was chaired by Cristina Clerico, Cuneo’s Culture Assessor, and featured various city council members and national parliamentarians.
Speakers at the event underlined their enduring solidarity with the Iranian people and their opposition to the Iranian regime’s gross human rights violations.
Mayor Patrizia Manassero emphasized Cuneo’s historical opposition to dictatorships and its ongoing support for the Iranian Resistance. She referred to the city’s symbolic sisterhood with Ashraf in Iraqand confirmed that this solidarity has persisted through different administrations. She reaffirmed her commitment to democratic values and the Iranian people’s quest for freedom.
Parliamentarian Monica Ciaburro drew attention to the systematic oppression of ethnic minorities—particularly the Kurds—and religious communities in Iran. She emphasized the suffering of women under the regime and highlighted the significance of the recent protests in Iran as signs of an emerging democratic movement. Ciaburro also pointed to resolutions passed by both chambers of the Italian Parliament as concrete political support for the Iranian people.
Senator Giorgio Maria Bergesio, Vice President of the Senate’s Industry and Commerce Commission, addressed the Iranian regime’s dual policy of internal repression and foreign terrorism. He praised the unity of the Iranian people—students, artists, journalists, and everyday citizens—in resisting the regime. Bergesio stressed that Italy must not remain passive and urged solidarity with the people of Iran who are fighting for freedom both within and beyond their borders.
MP Chiara Gribaudo expressed concern over the worsening human rights situation in Iran, as documented by international organizations. She called for more than symbolic support and demanded active defense of the democratic values enshrined in Italy’s own constitution.
Giancarlo Boselli, a Cuneo City Councilor and longtime advocate for the Iranian Resistance, reflected on nearly two decades of support. He recalled visiting Camp Ashraf, where the NCRI had built a well-functioning community in the harsh Iraqi desert. Boselli likened the NCRI’s democratic principles—captured in Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan—to the European anti-fascist movements of the past. He condemned the Iranian regime as one of the most brutal governments since World War II due to its record of torture, executions, and terrorism. Boselli dismissed the idea of negotiating with Tehran over its nuclear program and insisted that international support for the Iranian Resistance brings real hope for regime change.
Noemi Mallone, another member of the Cuneo City Council, shared her experiences at international women’s conferences in 2023 and 2025. She described the gatherings as inspiring, with strong and united voices of women from around the world. Mallone praised the fundamental freedoms outlined in Rajavi’s plan—freedom of religion, speech, press, and dress—and stressed that these values merit strong international backing. She confirmed that Cuneo’s City Council had officially supported the NCRI multiple times.
Dr. Khosrow Nikzat, head of the Iranian Doctors and Pharmacists Association in Italy, stated that while overthrowing the regime is a task for the Iranian people, Italian and European authorities should not remain on the sidelines. He urged the Italian government to officially designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, shut down regime-controlled mosques and centers used for radical indoctrination, and expel Iranian regime diplomats.
Elham Nikzat, head of the Iranian Democratic Women’s Association in northern Italy, warned of the regime’s intensifying use of executions and recalled the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, most of whom were members of the PMOI and NCRI. She called for global public and institutional action to oppose these executions and to support the Iranian Resistance. She emphasized that resistance to tyranny is not just a choice but a moral imperative.
The conference in Cuneo delivered a powerful message of unity and support for freedom in Iran. Italian politicians and human rights defenders reaffirmed their commitment to the values of democracy, human dignity, and justice. They pledged continued backing for the Iranian people and the NCRI’s democratic alternative to the ruling regime.
