Auld Lang Iran: Iran’s Uprising meets Lethal Force as Regime Clings to Old Tyranny
Iran’s streets are no longer simmering — they are boiling over. What began as merchant protests against economic collapse has, in just five days, rippled into a nationwide uprising that spans cities, universities, and provinces across the country. Rebellious youth and ordinary citizens have confronted repressive forces in cities across Iran, attacking regime symbols, burning police stations, and chanting “Death to the dictator” as the regime responds with live ammunition and tear gas.
For his part, President Donald Trump is threatening the regime if it murders innocent Iranians. While the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) welcomes this support, little more than moral support is all they want. Let the Iranian dissidents decide their future, they say.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of NCRI, Shahin Gobadi, member of NCRI Parliament in Exile, Shirin Nariman, former political prisoner in Iran, Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad and Dr. Kazem Kazerounian, as well as NCRI’s Ali Safavi are available for interviews to discuss the potential of reaching the Iranian people’s breaking point.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is a political movement that seeks self-determination for the Iranian people. It says it not only doesn’t need outside assistance; it doesn’t want it.
This is not a localized protest — it is a movement born of myriad grievances. The Iranian people are rejecting not just economic mismanagement and soaring inflation, but decades of systematic oppression, water mismanagement, religious persecution, executions, and denial of basic freedoms. The uprising has spread to dozens of cities and provinces, with protesters confronting repressive forces at every turn and refusing to be silenced.
International attention is now focused on Iran. President Trump has stated that the U.S. would support Iranian protesters if the regime escalates its violence and begins killing more of its own people — a stark warning that underscores how grave and deadly the situation has become. While international pressure may influence Tehran’s calculations, it is ultimately the Iranian people who must determine their own future. External agendas — whether geopolitical or ideological — risk overshadowing the genuine aspirations of Iranians on the ground.
There is also a dangerous and misguided effort to recast this moment as a push to restore the deposed monarchy. The NCRI unequivocally rejects this narrative. Reza Pahlavi, the former Shah’s son, represents a failed past and has alarmingly courted alliances with factions that overlap with the IRGC — the very force the regime uses as its instrument of repression. Trading one authoritarian structure for another is not liberation; it is regression.
Iran’s people are not clamoring for a return to monarchy or for foreign powers to decide their fate. They are demanding self-determination and a democratic future shaped by them and for them. This movement, driven by youth and ordinary citizens alike, is insisting that Iran’s destiny be decided in Iran — not by clerics, monarchists, or global powers with competing agendas.
NCRI spokespeople are available to discuss the significance of this uprising, the deadly crackdown underway, and why only the Iranian people should determine their future.
Speakers Available:
Alireza Jafarzadeh – Deputy Director of NCRI
Shahin Gobadi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Other Speakers Available:
Shirin Nariman – Former Political Prisoner in Iran
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)
Donald Trump warns Iran that US will ‘rescue’ protesters
Iran protests turn deadly as rights groups report killings – The Washington Post
Trump exchanges threats with Iran officials over protests | AP News
Optional Q&A
- What evidence shows these protests are fundamentally different from past unrest in terms of scale, coordination, and intent?
- How has the regime’s response shifted from suppression to lethal force, and what does that signal about its level of fear?
- Why did merchant-led economic protests ignite such a broad-based uprising across students, workers, farmers, and youth?
- What role are rebellious youth playing in confronting security forces and dismantling regime symbols?
- Why does the NCRI reject the idea that a return to monarchy is a viable alternative to the current regime?
- How do Reza Pahlavi’s reported ties and outreach to IRGC-linked elements undermine claims of democratic restoration?
- What dangers arise when foreign powers or external political figures attempt to shape the future from the outside?
- What is the NCRI’s vision for how the people themselves should determine the country’s political future after the regime falls?
ABOUT ALIREZA JAFARZADEH…
Alireza Jafarzadeh serves as the Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the 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, 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 NCRI, Parliament-in-Exile.
An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy and internal 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 SHIRIN NARIMAN…
Shirin Nariman is a former political prisoner, human rights advocate, and entrepreneur.
At just 15 years old, during the 1979 Revolution, she became involved in pro-democracy activities and supported the PMOI. Less than two years later, she was arrested for her activism—becoming one of the youngest political prisoners of her time and enduring severe torture in Evin Prison. Her case drew international attention and intervention from the Red Cross.
During her imprisonment, Shirin witnessed the regime’s brutality firsthand, including the executions of children, elderly women, and pregnant prisoners. After her release, she eventually sought refuge in the United States, where she has dedicated her life to advocating for human rights, women’s rights.
Shirin holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and has worked with leading wireless and financial corporations.
ABOUT DR. MOHAMMAD H. TASOOJI…
Dr. Mohammad H. Tasooji, a professor at California State University San Marcos, is an accomplished engineer, educator, and industry leader. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, an M.S. in Engineering Economic Systems from Stanford University, and a Doctorate in Communication Systems from USC. Dr. Tasooji has held senior management roles at leading technology firms, including Qualcomm, Ericsson, Gtran Wireless, and Nokia. He contributes to clean-energy innovation as CEO of Sienza Energy.
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. 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, 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 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—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 NCRI, 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@SpecialGuests.com
