Regime Change in Iran Much Closer to Reality than it’s Ever Been
Grant Stinchfield opened the discussion by pointing to the alarming spike in executions inside Iran, noting that the clerical regime appears to be doubling down on violence in order to stifle unrest. He asked Dr. Majid Sadeghpour, a longtime supporter of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and a leading voice among Iranian-Americans, whether this escalation was a sign of weakness or strength by the regime.
Sadeghpour responded firmly that it is a sign of weakness. He explained that dictatorships historically increase their brutality when they feel their grip on power slipping. According to him, the Iranian regime is facing growing unrest across the country, with protests by workers, women, and students continuing in spite of heavy crackdowns. The rise in executions, he said, is the regime’s attempt to instill fear, but it is also a measure of its desperation.
Stinchfield pressed further on the numbers, citing reports that Iran now leads the world in per-capita executions. Sadeghpour agreed, adding that more than 800 people were executed in the past year alone, including women, minors, and political prisoners. He described these killings as not just judicial punishments but as political tools used by the mullahs to silence dissent. The regime’s targets, he explained, often include people connected to protest movements, labor organizers, and those accused of supporting the NCRI and its leader Maryam Rajavi.
Turning to the international dimension, Stinchfield noted that Sadeghpour was recently present at demonstrations outside the United Nations in New York, where thousands of Iranian-Americans rallied against the regime. He asked Sadeghpour what message those protesters were sending. Sadeghpour described the atmosphere as electric, filled with chants calling for regime change and democracy. He emphasized that Iranian-Americans were demanding that the international community stop appeasing Tehran and instead recognize the democratic alternative presented by the NCRI. He underscored Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a secular, democratic Iran as the only viable path forward.
Stinchfield Not Happy with Status Quo
Stinchfield asked whether the Biden administration’s previous policy of engagement had emboldened Tehran. Sadeghpour replied that years of Western appeasement — whether through sanctions relief, backdoor negotiations, or overlooking human rights abuses — have only empowered the regime. He said the clerics interpret conciliatory gestures as weakness, and that this has directly contributed to the current wave of executions. In his view, the only effective policy is a firm stance: isolating the regime diplomatically, reimposing tough sanctions, and supporting the Iranian people’s fight for freedom.
When asked whether the people inside Iran are losing hope, Sadeghpour rejected the idea. He said the opposite is true — despite the executions, the protests continue. He described young people in Iran as fearless, pointing to the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement as evidence that a new generation is unwilling to submit to the clerics’ rule. The brutality, he argued, is fueling further outrage, and each act of state violence generates new waves of resistance.
Stinchfield then brought the focus back to the NCRI, asking why it is uniquely positioned to lead change in Iran. Sadeghpour explained that unlike fragmented opposition groups, the NCRI has decades of organizational structure, international recognition, and a clear political program. He highlighted that the NCRI has broad support both inside and outside Iran, and its leader Maryam Rajavi offers a democratic vision that resonates with Iranians yearning for freedom.
As the interview wrapped up, Stinchfield asked what the American people should take away from the unrest in Iran. Sadeghpour urged Americans to recognize that the Iranian people are not enemies of the West — the regime is. He said every execution is not just a domestic tragedy but part of a global threat, since Tehran’s survival strategy includes exporting terrorism and destabilizing the region. Supporting the Iranian people, he concluded, is both a moral obligation and a national security necessity.
Stinchfield closed by thanking Dr. Sadeghpour for his insights, noting that the courage of those protesting in Iran, and those rallying outside the UN, underscores the urgency of confronting the regime’s brutality and standing with the Iranian people.
