Chanel Rion of Fine Point discusses the latest developments in Iran with NCRI Member of Parliament in Exile
In a compelling interview, Chanel Rion of One America News sat down with Shahin Gobadi, spokesman for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), to examine the intensifying instability inside Iran and the growing strength of its organized opposition. The discussion centered on how Iran’s ruling regime, beset by internal dissent and external pressure, is facing perhaps the most serious threat to its survival since the 1979 revolution.
Gobadi explained that the Iranian regime is now in a state of crisis across multiple fronts. Economic hardship, social unrest, international isolation, and an increasingly disillusioned population have combined to create a volatile situation. He pointed to sustained anti-regime protests over the past few years, particularly since the major uprising of 2019, as evidence that the Iranian people have lost their fear and are willing to challenge the authority of the mullahs. These protests, while brutally suppressed, have not gone away; instead, they have evolved into a more organized and resilient resistance movement that continues to gain momentum.
As the regime grapples with growing unrest, Gobadi suggested that Tehran may try to escalate its nuclear ambitions as a way to deflect attention and reassert its power. The acceleration of uranium enrichment and continued stonewalling of international inspectors have led many experts to conclude that Iran is racing toward nuclear weapon capability. Gobadi warned that this development is not a show of strength but a sign of desperation. With the clerical regime cornered both domestically and internationally, it may view the acquisition of a nuclear weapon as a survival mechanism. He stressed that the international community must act decisively to prevent this outcome, not through appeasement, but through pressure.
Rion pressed Gobadi on whether there exists a viable alternative to the current regime. Gobadi responded by emphasizing the NCRI’s leadership in building and coordinating a national resistance movement. He pointed out that the NCRI is more than an opposition group abroad—it is a political alternative with a detailed platform for democratic governance after the fall of the mullahs. The group’s leader, Maryam Rajavi, has outlined a ten-point plan for a secular, non-nuclear, democratic Iran. According to Gobadi, this vision is increasingly resonating with Iranians inside the country who seek an end to both dictatorship and foreign dependency.
While the resistance’s activities are often underreported in the West, Gobadi insisted that the organization has expanded its presence on the ground in Iran. Networks of dissidents, many connected to the NCRI’s internal affiliate MEK, are reportedly carrying out anti-regime actions, organizing demonstrations, and disrupting state propaganda. These efforts, he said, reflect not isolated outbursts of frustration but a deep and sustained drive for regime change. Gobadi claimed that the regime’s support base has shrunk dramatically, now amounting to a mere fraction of the population, and that the bulk of Iranians are ready for meaningful change.
The conversation then shifted to the role of international policy. Gobadi argued that the approach of Western governments, especially during the Trump administration, had proven effective in weakening the regime. Maximum pressure tactics, including sweeping sanctions on oil exports and financial sectors, helped cut off the regime’s resources and emboldened domestic dissent. He criticized more recent efforts at diplomatic engagement, saying they only grant Tehran breathing room. He called on democratic nations to support the Iranian people by maintaining sanctions, holding regime officials accountable for human rights violations, and recognizing the legitimacy of organized opposition groups like the NCRI.
As the interview concluded, Gobadi reiterated that Iran is at a historic crossroads. The combination of internal defiance, economic collapse, and international pressure could very well result in the downfall of the regime. However, he cautioned that such an outcome is not inevitable. It requires strategic coordination between Iranians fighting for freedom and governments abroad willing to stand with them rather than with the tyrants who rule over them. The moment, he argued, is ripe—but it must be seized.
The interview painted a picture of a regime fraying at the edges, confronted by an increasingly emboldened population and a well-organized resistance. While the road ahead is fraught with danger, Gobadi’s remarks made clear that, for the first time in decades, real change in Iran is not only possible—it is within reach.
