Free Iran Rising: Iranian Americans to Descend on Washington, D.C. to Demand Change Replace Chains
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) will host the Free Iran Convention 2025 in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, November 15, bringing together over 1,000 Iranian scholars, activists, professionals, and community leaders for a historic one-day gathering dedicated to charting a path toward a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear Iran.
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad and Dr. Kazem Kazerounian, as well as NCRI’s Shahin Gobadi and Ali Safavi are available for interviews to discuss this amazing event.
This first-of-its-kind event in the nation’s capital offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with multi-generational Iranian voices from across the United States, alongside prominent American and international dignitaries. Victims of the regime and participants in recent uprisings will provide firsthand accounts of life under clerical rule, sharing insights on the growing momentum for freedom inside Iran.
The convention comes at a pivotal moment. Despite its ongoing nuclear ambitions, export of terrorism, and support for proxy groups, the Iranian regime faces mounting domestic unrest. A wave of unprecedented executions underscores its desperation to suppress the people’s call for change, while youth, women, and civil society leaders continue to drive a courageous resistance.
The program includes expert panels and distinguished dialogues exploring the inevitability of change in Iran, the legacy of women’s resistance, the role of youth in shaping a democratic future, and strategies for transitioning from theocracy to a secular republic. International perspectives from American and European dignitaries will contextualize global policy approaches to the Iranian regime.
By invitation only, accredited journalists are encouraged to RSVP at media@ncrius.org
This convention is a unique moment for policymakers, thought leaders, and media to engage directly with those shaping Iran’s future. NCRI spokesmen are available for interviews before and during the event to provide commentary on the discussions, the growing movement for freedom in Iran, and the implications for global peace and security.
The Free Iran Convention 2025 is not just a discussion—it is a roadmap for a future Iran built on democracy, human rights, and the people’s choice.
Speakers Available:
Shahin Gobadi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Other Speakers Available:
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad – Iranian American Scholar and Cybersecurity Executive
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian – Dean of College of Engineering; expert on Iran’s Nuclear program
Related Article(s)
Iran News in Brief – November 4, 2025 – NCRI
Optional Q&A
- What makes the Free Iran Convention 2025 a historic event for the Iranian diaspora and international community?
- How do the voices of victims and activists from recent uprisings shape the convention’s discussions?
- Why is now considered a pivotal moment in Iran’s struggle against the clerical regime?
- What role are Iranian women playing in leading the movement toward democracy?
- How is the youth of Iran influencing the trajectory of the country’s democratic transition?
- What concrete roadmap or plan for regime change will the convention highlight?
- How will international dignitaries contribute to the conversation on Iran’s future?
- In what ways can policymakers and media leverage insights from the convention to support a free Iran?
Free Iran Convention 2025
Iran on the brink: Roadmap to end theocracy, Plan for the future Iran
The Free Iran Convention 2025 will be held in Washington, D.C., On Saturday, November 15,
The first convention of its kind in DC will bring together more than 1,000 Iranian scholars, activists, professionals, and community leaders to address the prospects of regime change Iran, and the transition from a theocracy to a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic.
This landmark one-day event offers a unique, multi-dimensional perspective on Iranian affairs and the imperative of a viable and effective policy vis-à-vis the Iranian regime.
It will feature Iranian voices from three generations across the United States, joined by prominent American and international dignitaries.
Several victims of the regime and activists who took part in the uprisings in the recent years in Iran will also address the gathering, adding firsthand insight to the discussions.
The convention occurs at a pivotal time. The Iranian regime neither has given up drive to acquire nuclear weapons, nor export of terrorism and investing on proxy groups and has remained a major threat to global peace and security. Meanwhile, momentum for change is rapidly growing inside Iran, as the clerical regime has resorted to an unprecedented wave of executions in an attempt to suppress the mounting call for freedom.
Convention Schedule and Program
9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Washington, DC
By Invitation only,
accredited journalists RSVP:
media@ncrius.org
Expert panels and discussions:
Panel 1: Society Ripe for Change in Iran
Why Change Has Become Inevitable
Panel 2: Iranian Women and the Legacy of Resistance
From Repression to Leadership in Charting the Future
Panel 3: Prospects for Change in Iran, the Plan for Transition
Roadmap for the Overthrow of the Regime, Establishing Democracy
Panel 4: The Power of Youth in Driving Change in Iran
A Defiant Generation Shaping Iran’s Democratic Movement
Panel 5: The Heart of Iran in Revolt
Voices of Courage, Strength, and Hope
Distinguished Dialogue
The Science of Renewal: Building Iran’s Future (dialogue with a distinguished Iranian scholar)
A Scholar’s Vision for Tomorrow
Shaping Iran’s Future: The People’s Choice for Democracy (dialogue with a distinguished Iranian scholar)
International Section
Distinguished American and European dignitaries will address this segment of the program.
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 DR. RAMESH SEPEHRRAD…
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad is a leading Iranian-American scholar, published author, cybersecurity executive, and human rights advocate, known for her tireless efforts to advance a non-nuclear, secular, and democratic republic in Iran. As Chair of the Advisory Board of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), she plays a pivotal role in bipartisan majority of congressional advocacy, including support for various house resolutions, which endorses the Iranian people’s aspirations for freedom and Maryam Rajavi’s ten-point plan.
Born in Shiraz, Iran, Ramesh’s commitment to justice is deeply personal. Her family endured brutal persecution under both the Shah’s monarchy and the current theocratic regime. Several relatives were imprisoned, tortured, or executed for their opposition to tyranny—an experience that has shaped her life’s mission to amplify the voices of Iran’s oppressed.
After seeking refuge in the United States in 1985, Dr. Sepehrrad earned a B.S. in Computer Science from SUNY Buffalo, an M.A. in Political Science, and a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. She has also taught graduate courses on conflict, gender, and human rights at George Mason, University of Connecticut where she was inducted as the Distinguished Engineer, and University of Baltimore.
Professionally, she has held senior executive roles in cybersecurity and risk management where she has earned numerous industry awards and recognition.
Through academic rigor, policy engagement, and grassroots mobilization, Dr. Sepehrrad is a compelling voice for democratic change in Iran—rejecting both monarchy and theocracy in favor of a republic rooted in gender equality, human rights and the rule of law.
ABOUT DR. KAZEM KAZEROUNIAN…
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut and served as Dean of the College of Engineering from 2012 to 2024.
He is a member of The Free Iran Scholars Network. A passionate advocate for democracy and human rights, Dr. Kazerounian is also an expert on Iran and the Middle East, particularly regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, and human rights situation in Iran. He has contributed widely through scholarly articles, invited talks, and media interviews on regional affairs and the democratic movement in Iran.
Nationally, he has held leadership roles with ASEE and ASME, shaping engineering policy and education. His honors include the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Award, AIMBE Fellowship, and induction into the Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering.
An ASME Fellow, his research spans kinematics, robotics, and biomechanics. He has authored over 160 scholarly works and co-founded AcademicKeys.com and AcademicJournal.com, a professional platform and an online journal for academics.
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.
This material is distributed by Special Guests Publicity LLC on behalf of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) / Media Strategy Consulting LTD. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
CONTACT: For further details or to arrange the interview, please contact Jerry McGlothlin at 919-437-0001 / Bookings@SeasonalLiving.com
Washington just over the Potomac.
Washington of clothes.
Washington of the dirty things.
Washington was a founding father.
Washington awaits.
I went to Washington with Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith went home from Washington.
Washington Washington Washington
