Failure of the appeasement policy  
Decades of Western and international efforts to contain the Iranian regime through a policy of appeasement and submission have only served to strengthen its oppressive rule and expand its regional influence. After every wave of negotiations or agreements — such as the 2015 nuclear deal — the regime exploited Western concessions to bolster its missile program and support its affiliated militias in the region. Today, it has become clear that the “hand extended” policy has only resulted in more internal crackdown and external aggression.

The failure of what is called internal reform and the Iranian people's solution  
Inside Iran, what is known as the “reformist” current, which the West supported to present itself as a moderate alternative, was in fact merely a façade of the mullah regime, through which roles and duties were distributed. The West was unable to change the nature of the regime’s ideology based on the absolute guardianship of the Supreme Leader; instead, it contributed to polishing its image internationally while security agencies continued to suppress the people until recent protests confirmed that the Iranian people reject the regime entirely, across all its factions.

Any alternative to the mullah regime must be the result of the will of the Iranian people itself, not an outside imposition or a return to the past. If some see the monarchy as a salvation, they are mistaken; the crimes of the deposed shah and his regime have not yet been reckoned with. The greatest challenge is to build a democratic, pluralistic system that respects human rights — which aligns with what both the religious and monarchical regimes have left behind. The coming Iranian revolution must be a revolution of freedom, not merely replacing one tyrant with another. Ultimately, Iran is rich with honest and capable national options, deserving more than just a choice between the mullahs or the shah. Iran deserves to be ruled by its own people, and this is the only solution to this war and crisis: overthrow and change of this regime by the Iranian people and resistance. Yes, there is an alternative with a clear program and a long history of continuous struggle against this oppressive theocratic regime, and that is the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which will mark its 44th year this year. For this reason, we say: No to the Shah's system, and no to the regime of the mullahs; the Iranian people reject all forms of tyranny and desire freedom.

The stance of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi  
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi emphasized at the European Parliament that the real war is the people's and resistance’s fight against the fascist religious rule, and that its only solution is the regime’s overthrow at the hands of the people and the Iranian resistance. She said: “The crisis of the fall of the religious dictatorship has engulfed all its pillars, and everyone can see it with their own eyes, especially those who saw what happened in Syria and the fate of Bashar al-Assad last December. No one expected it, but it was a reality that actually happened. The war that began on the morning of Friday, June 13, marks the beginning of a dangerous phase in the situation in Iran and regional transformations. But I must emphasize that the real war started 44 years ago, specifically on June 20, 1981 — the Iranian people's and resistance’s war against the rule of religious fascism. The only solution is the overthrow of this regime by the people and the organized resistance. Mrs. Rajavi always stresses that the solution to Iran’s issues does not lie in bargaining or war, but in the third option: regime change at the hands of the people and organized resistance. She pointed out that policies of negotiation and appeasement encourage the mullah regime to continue its policies, ultimately forcing war upon Western countries. She explained that the religious dictatorship cannot be reformed, as it seeks to export terror, extremism, and develop nuclear weapons, and will not give up uranium enrichment. Today, this has been conclusively proven.

Mrs. Rajavi also said: “Let us not repeat the Munich experience with the nuclear-military mullahs. Today, we see that Western policy of appeasement has already imposed war. I reiterate today that lasting peace and security in this region can only be achieved through regime change in Iran at the hands of the people and the Iranian resistance.”

Yes, there is an alternative with a clear program and a long record of continuous struggle against this oppressive theocratic regime — the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which enters its 44th year this year. An alternative cannot be imposed as it was a hundred years ago with the coronation of a shah by Britain, nor as it was in 1953 through the American-backed coup against Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh’s national government. That regime was imposed with repression, executions.
 

Weakening the regime economically and militarily  
The mullah regime relies on economic and military resources to sustain itself, and any pressure in these areas accelerates its collapse. Therefore, it is necessary to cut off financial resources, tighten sanctions on oil and gas by preventing the export of Iranian oil through shell companies, and pursue financial transfers by dismantling networks that finance militias affiliated with Iran, such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and others. It is also essential to boycott companies working with the Revolutionary Guards by imposing sanctions on any entities cooperating with the Quds Force and militias.

The road to change  
The Iranian regime will not fall on its own, nor will it change through negotiations. Change requires a sustained popular revolution supported by unified leadership, accompanied by weakening the regime— not the people— through sanctions and pressure. It also involves supporting the true democratic alternative represented by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by the activist Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, and rallying Iranians around it. The international policy must shift from a policy of appeasement to supporting the people. The international community must choose: either stand with the oppressors or support the revolution of the people. History will honor those who stand on the right side.

Dr. Sami Khater