Over 40 World Leaders and Dignitaries Support February 8th Free Iran Rally
More than 40 former world leaders, lawmakers, and personalities from Europe and North America announced today that they are endorsing a major rally by thousands of Iranians in Paris on February 8, 2025, rejecting the current dictatorship in Iran and advocating for a democratic republic.
They called upon governments worldwide to recognize the Iranian people’s right to self-determination and liberation from tyranny.
Signatories to the collective statement include 15 European former Prime Ministers, seven former Foreign Ministers, and dozens of distinguished state officials.
Text of Statement of Solidarity with a Free Iran:
On the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 revolution, we stand firmly with the courageous Iranian people in their struggle to end the religious dictatorship and establish a truly democratic and secular republic.
Through their nationwide uprisings, the people of Iran have clearly demonstrated their desire for an end to the current regime. We denounce the clerical dictatorship for its oppressive governance and human rights abuses, and we also reject the dictatorship of the former Shah, acknowledging the suffering under both regimes.
We support the major demonstration planned in Paris on February 8th, where the voices of Iranians will resound with the message: “No to the Dictator, be it the Shah or the Mullahs, Yes to a Democratic Republic.” We endorse the 10-point plan of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which in 2024 received support from over 4,000 MPs and 137 former world leaders, as a viable blueprint for a future free Iran.
We call upon governments worldwide to recognize the Iranian people’s right to self-determination and liberation from tyranny. The time for change is now; the people of Iran deserve freedom, justice, and democracy.
Partial list of signatories:
- Guy Verhofstadt — Former Prime Minister, Belgium
- Elio Di Rupo — Former Prime Minister, Belgium
- Enda Kenny — Former Prime Minister, Ireland
- Anneli Jäätteenmäki — Former Prime Minister, Finland
- Alexandru Athanasiu — Former Prime Minister, Romania
- Geir H. Haarde — Former Prime Minister, Iceland
- Petre Roman — Former Prime Minister, Romania
- Jaume Bartumeu-Cassany — Former Prime Minister, Andorra
- Yulia Tymoshenko — Former Prime Minister, Ukraine
- Janez Janša — Former Prime Minister, Slovenia
- Carlo Cottarelli — Former Prime Minister-Designate, Italy
- Giuseppe Maria Morganti — Former Captain Regent, San Marino
- Joseph Muscat — Former Prime Minister, Malta
- Avdullah Hoti — Former Prime Minister, Kosovo
- John Baird — Former Foreign Minister, Canada
- Gabrielius Landsbergis — Former Foreign Minister, Lithuania
- Jeppe Kofod — Former Foreign Minister, Denmark
- Dick Spring — Former Foreign Minister, Ireland
- Anatol Șalaru — Former Defence Minister, Moldova
- Ignazio Marino — Former Mayor of Rome, Italy
- Nicola Renzi — Former Foreign Minister, San Marino
- Tonio Borg — Former Foreign Minister, Malta
- Jan-Erik Enestam — Former Secretary-General of the Nordic Council; Former Defence Minister, Finland
- Thomas E. Garrett — Former Secretary General of Community of Democracies (CoD), United States
- Audronius Ažubalis — Former Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE; Former Foreign Minister, Lithuania
- Maria Celeste Cardona — Former Justice Minister, Portugal
- Rowan Williams — Former Archbishop of Canterbury, United Kingdom
- Nicolas Walder — Member of Parliament, Switzerland
- Ellen Samyn — Member of Parliament, Belgium
- Milan Zver — Member of the European Parliament, Slovenia
- Amb. Ken Blackwell — Former US Ambassador to the UN Commission on Human Rights, United States
- Tony Clement PC — Former Minister of Industry, Canada
- Amb. Mitchell Reiss — Former Director of Policy Planning, State Department, United States
- Robert Torricelli — Former US Senator, United States
- Louis J. Freeh — Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States
- Bob Blackman — Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
- Gerard Craughwell — Member of the Senate, Ireland
- Amb. Lincoln P. Bloomfield Jr. — Former Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs, United States
- Matej Tonin — Former Deputy Prime Minister, Slovenia
- Kimmo Sasi — Former President of the Nordic Council, Finland
- Juku-Kalle Raid — Member of Parliament, Estonia
- Karmen Joller — Member of Parliament, Estonia
- Erna Hennicot-Schoepges — Former President of the Chamber of Deputies, Luxembourg
Background:
Supporters of a free Iran across the globe are calling on Western leaders to cast aside the decades-long failed policy of appeasement toward Iran’s regime. Instead, they seek international recognition for the right of the Iranian people to liberate themselves from religious tyranny.
Thousands of Iranians, supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), will march in Paris to echo the Iranian people’s desire for regime change and the establishment of a democratic republic. Participants will call for a firm and decisive policy against the Iranian regime, strongly condemn the regime taking foreign nationals hostage, and demand their immediate release.
The February 8 Paris rally will be followed by a Free Iran March by Iranian-Americans in Washington DC on March 8.
In both rallies, participants will urge an end to executions by the Iran regime—the world’s leading executioner per capita. A significant number of prisoners are currently on death row, including many political prisoners—particularly those accused of supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)—who face imminent execution. In 2024 alone, the Iranian regime executed 1,000 prisoners, marking the highest number of executions in the past three decades.
The rally in Paris will feature distinguished speakers, including Guy Verhofstadt, former Prime Minister of Belgium, one of the signatories of the statement, Ingrid Betancourt, as well as members of the French National Assembly and Senate.
Representatives of Iranian societies and associations from across Europe will also participate. While rejecting all forms of dictatorship—both monarchy and theocracy—they will urge the international community to recognize the Iranian people’s struggle to overthrow the regime and support the rebellious youths’ fight against the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
Related Article(s)
Iran News in Brief – February 7, 2025 – NCRI
Optional Q&A:
- With over 40 world leaders backing this rally, what concrete actions do you expect from Western governments beyond statements of support?
- Why is it critical for the international community to reject both the current regime and the former monarchy as viable futures for Iran?
- How does the February 8th rally fit into the broader global movement for Iranian democracy, including the upcoming Washington, D.C. march?
- Given Iran’s history of violently suppressing dissent, what risks do activists and their families face for participating in this movement?
- The Iranian regime has a long record of taking foreign nationals hostage—how should Western governments respond to these acts of state-sponsored extortion?
- What role does the Iranian diaspora play in pressuring their host governments to abandon appeasement policies and take stronger stances against Tehran?
- With Iran executing more prisoners per capita than any other country, how can international pressure help curb these human rights abuses?
- Many young Iranians are taking to the streets despite brutal crackdowns—how does the NCRI support these rebellious youth fighting against the IRGC?
ABOUT ALIREZA JAFARZADEH…
Alireza Jafarzadeh serves as the Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). He is also the author of The Iran Threat (Palgrave MacMillan, New York, 2008).
A recognized expert on Iranian policy, Jafarzadeh has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. His groundbreaking work in 2002 and 2003 led to the discovery of key illicit nuclear sites in Iran, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the Arak heavy water plant, the Kalaye Electric centrifuge testing facility near Tehran, and the Lashkar Ab’ad laser enrichment facility. These revelations prompted the first-ever inspections of Iranian nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Jafarzadeh is a frequent guest on major television and radio networks, including CBS Evening News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and France 24. His insights have also been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Time, and The Hill.
ABOUT SHAHIN GOBADI…
Shahin Gobadi, a U.S.-educated nuclear engineer, is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy toward Iran, and internal Iranian affairs.
He has been interviewed by major international media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, BBC, Sky TV, GB News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Gobadi’s writings have appeared in prominent media across the U.S. and Europe.
ABOUT ALI SAFAVI…
Ali Safavi is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
A sociologist by training, Safavi studied and taught at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan. He was an active participant in the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s in the United States and has been deeply engaged in Iranian affairs ever since.
Safavi has lectured and written extensively on Iran, Iraq, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. He has appeared in interviews on networks such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, Sky TV, Newsmax, and France 24. His articles and commentary have been published in leading outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Boston Herald, The Washington Times, and The Financial Times.
CONTACT: For further details or to arrange the interview, please contact Todd Baumann at 512-966-0983 or Bookings@SpecialGuests.com
