Member of Iran’s Parliament in Exile discusses the state of Iran and that Country’s Future
In a recent interview on One America News with host Dan Ball, Ali Safavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) laid out the current state of unrest in Iran, the regime’s deepening instability, and the viable path toward a free and democratic alternative. The conversation centered on how recent developments inside Iran—particularly after the strikes on nuclear facilities—have significantly weakened the regime and emboldened the Iranian people in their century-long struggle against tyranny.
Safavi, a longtime member of the NCRI and a senior figure in Iran’s parliament-in-exile, provided a strategic overview of the Iranian regime’s crisis on multiple fronts. Politically, he said, the theocratic system is facing the worst legitimacy crisis in its 45-year history. Economic pressures, widespread corruption, and brutal crackdowns on dissent have created a boiling point across Iran’s population. The widespread protests and uprisings that have rocked cities in recent years were not isolated events, according to Safavi, but part of a consistent, organized movement that is gaining momentum beneath the surface.
Dan Ball pressed for insight on whether these internal tensions could realistically lead to regime collapse. Safavi was emphatic: the situation in Iran is not just unsustainable—it is entering a terminal phase. He cited mounting defections, international isolation, and deep dissatisfaction within even traditional power bases. In contrast to narratives that argue regime change is impossible without foreign intervention, Safavi underscored the strength of the domestic opposition, especially the NCRI and its affiliated network, the MEK, which continue to operate underground across Iran.
The interview also explored the broader regional and global implications of regime change. Safavi explained that the Iranian regime is not merely a domestic oppressor—it is a source of terrorism, destabilization, and proxy warfare throughout the Middle East. From Hezbollah in Lebanon to militias in Iraq and Syria, Tehran exports chaos to maintain relevance. A collapse of the regime, he argued, would not only liberate Iranians but would defuse many of the region’s most intractable conflicts. It would also deal a major blow to the ambitions of foreign powers, like China and Russia, that rely on Tehran’s cooperation for energy and strategic depth.
Ball asked whether a credible plan exists to fill the vacuum if the regime falls. Safavi pointed to the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan, which calls for democratic elections, gender equality, separation of religion and state, respect for minorities, and a non-nuclear Iran. This plan, he said, has gained traction with Iranians inside and outside the country who are eager for change. The NCRI does not call for U.S. troops, foreign weapons, or outside funds. Its strategy is centered on empowering the Iranian people to decide their own fate, without the distortions of foreign agendas.
Safavi stressed that the resistance has always advocated for “neither war nor appeasement”—a third option grounded in the will of the Iranian people. As he put it, the NCRI believes the future of Iran must be made in Iran. The goal is not simply to remove the ayatollahs but to replace the entire system of religious dictatorship with a secular, democratic, and inclusive government. He made clear that the Iranian people have the capability, vision, and resolve to rebuild their nation—what they need is international recognition and moral clarity from Western powers.
As the interview concluded, Safavi warned that time is running out for the regime. With internal collapse looming and external pressure mounting, Iran’s ruling elite is running out of tools to maintain control. Yet amid the darkness, he offered hope: Iran’s future does not belong to the ayatollahs. It belongs to the people who have risked everything in protest, endured unimaginable oppression, and never stopped dreaming of freedom. According to Safavi, the world may soon witness the rebirth of a nation—led not by force or foreign dictates, but by the will of its own citizens.
