Bipartisan House Briefing Affirms Support for Iranian-Led Regime Change and the NCRI Alternative
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
Congressmen TOM MCCLINTOCK (R-CA) and BRAD SHERMAN (D-CA) addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
Representatives ROBERT MENENDEZ (D-NJ), left, and RAUL RUIZ (D-CA) addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
Representatives LAURA FRIEDMAN (D-CA), left, and VAL HOYLE (D-OR) addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK, USA (Ret.), 12th Supreme Allied Commander Europe addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
Representatives GLENN GROTHMAN (R-WI), left, and PETE SESSIONS (R-TX) addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
Representatives FRENCH HILL (R-AR), left, and DEBORAH ROSS (D-NC) addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
Representatives KEITH SELF (R-TX), left, and LANCE GOODEN (R-TX) addressing House briefing on Iran on 16 December 2025
House Lawmakers Affirm the Iranian People’s Right to Establish a Free, Democratic Republic and Reject All Forms of Dictatorship
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, December 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from both parties, congressional staff, and representatives of Iranian American communities from across the country convened on December 16, 2025, in the historic Cannon Caucus Room for a House briefing entitled “Supporting the Iranian People’s Struggle for a Democratic Free Republic.”
The briefing reflected a growing bipartisan consensus in Congress that the Iranian people have both the right and the capacity to bring about democratic change and that the international community must recognize and support their organized resistance against clerical dictatorship.
A wide range of Members of Congress addressed the gathering, underscoring sustained bipartisan support for House Resolution 166, which affirms the Iranian people’s right to confront the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and repressive forces in pursuit of a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic.
The program featured a central message from Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and strategic remarks by General Wesley Clark, USA (Ret.), 12th Supreme Allied Commander Europe; 22nd Commander, United States Southern Command; Board Director, Atlantic Council
REP. TOM MCCLINTOCK INTRODUCED MRS. RAJAVI AND THE DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE
Congressman Tom McClintock (R-CA) opened the briefing by situating the Iranian people’s struggle within a decisive historical moment. He described the clerical regime as exhausted, hollowed out by decades of repression and misrule, and increasingly vulnerable to the will of the people.
“That resolution lays out a vision that the NCRI has put forward for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear Iran,” Rep. McClintock said, referring to H. Res. 166. He emphasized that the Iranian Resistance’s objective is fundamentally democratic: “The NCRI’s objective is not to seize power, but to restore it to its rightful owners—the people of Iran.”
Rejecting both theocracy and any return to dictatorship under another form, Rep. McClintock stressed that Iran’s future must be decided solely by its citizens through democratic means. He concluded by introducing Mrs. Rajavi as "truly one of the great world leaders in the cause of freedom and will be remembered for generations and centuries to come for the contribution that she has made to restoring the freedom and prosperity of Iran."
MRS. MARYAM RAJAVI: CHANGE MUST COME FROM THE IRANIAN PEOPLE AND THEIR ORGANIZED RESISTANCE
In a video address, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi thanked Members of Congress for their bipartisan support and their continued attention to the situation in Iran. As the year draws to a close, she extended holiday greetings while underscoring the urgency of recognizing the Iranian people’s struggle.
“I must stress the importance of House Resolution 166,” Mrs. Rajavi said, noting that it is backed by more than two hundred Members of Congress and explicitly recognizes “the rights of the Iranian people, the protesters, and the Resistance Units to confront the IRGC and repressive forces to bring about change.”
She warned that the clerical regime remains a serious threat to global peace and security. “The mullahs’ regime in Iran is a threat not only to the Iranian people but also to global peace and security,” she said, citing the execution of more than 2,000 people in 2025 alone and the presence of political prisoners on death row for alleged support of the MEK.
While acknowledging that the regime is weaker than at any point in decades, Mrs. Rajavi cautioned that it has not abandoned repression or terrorism. “Brutal suppression at home and the export of terrorism…are the pillars of its survival,” she said, adding, “Khamenei knows better than anyone that even taking one step back will speed up the fall of the regime.”
Addressing the path forward, Mrs. Rajavi was unequivocal. “This regime must be overthrown,” she said. At the same time, she made clear that regime change is not a foreign project: “Regime change is only the duty of the Iranian people and no one else. We have never asked any country to intervene… and we will never do so.”
She rejected decades of failed engagement, stating, “The policy of compromise, in the baseless hope of encouraging change from within the regime, has failed,” and reiterated the resistance’s long-standing assessment: “A viper will never give birth to a dove.”
Mrs. Rajavi outlined a clear democratic roadmap for the post-theocracy period. “Our goal is not to take power for ourselves,” she said. “Our goal is to transfer power to the people of Iran through a peaceful and democratic process.” Within six months of the regime’s fall, she explained, a freely elected constituent assembly would draft a new democratic constitution and oversee a transitional government.
Concluding her remarks, she drew a sharp distinction between the only two remaining options before Iran: “Today, only two real options remain: either the continuation of religious fascism… or real change brought about by the Iranian people and their Resistance, leading to a democratic, pluralistic republic.”
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS VOICE SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE
REP. VAL HOYLE (D-OR) emphasized the centrality of women’s rights and secular governance in Iran’s future. “Right here in Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan, it is clear what we are fighting for,” she said, pointing specifically to “the separation of religion and state” and “complete gender equality in political, social, cultural, and economic rights.”
REP. RAUL RUIZ (D-CA) linked democratic change to Mrs. Rajavi’s leadership and platform. “The hope we all share today is a free, secular, democratic republic of Iran,” he said, affirming solidarity with “Madame Rajavi’s 10-point plan to realize the dreams of future generations.”
REP. FRENCH HILL (R-AR) condemned the regime’s corruption and pledged continued accountability. He expressed support for “your strong and faithful commitment… to a free and democratic, secular Iran,” stressing that Iran’s wealth belongs to its people, not unelected clerics.
REP. KEITH SELF (R-TX) framed regime change as an Iranian-led process. “You represent the hope of the future,” he told attendees, adding, “When the circumstances are right, the Iranian people will prevail for a free Iran.”
REP. LAURA FRIEDMAN (D-CA) emphasized democratic principles aligned with the NCRI platform. “The right to gather peacefully, the right to self-determination, the right to choose your leaders—these are not just political ideals,” she said, underscoring their universality.
REP. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D-NJ) stressed aligning U.S. policy with the Iranian people’s aspirations. “Your mission has always been consistent—to uplift the voices of the Iranian people,” he said, reaffirming his support for democratic self-governance.
REP. PETE SESSIONS (R-TX) spoke directly about regime change. “We want regime change,” he stated, emphasizing that Iran’s greatest asset is its people and that bipartisan resolve remains firm.
REP. GLENN GROTHMAN (R-WI) highlighted Iran’s democratic potential beyond clerical rule. “It’s very important that you folks are here today… to educate us about the wonderful Iran that’s just beneath the surface,” he said.
REP. BRAD SHERMAN (D-CA) rejected the clerical system outright. “We will continue our fight for a free, secular, democratic republic of Iran that will never have and never need nuclear weapons,” he said, citing mass executions as evidence of the regime’s illegitimacy.
REP. LANCE GOODEN (R-TX) explicitly referenced the organized resistance and Ashraf-3. “I am very passionate about the protection of our friends in Ashraf-3,” he said, expressing hope that they would soon “return to a free Iran.”
REP. DEBORAH ROSS (D-NC) said that "the only thing that will be good for the Iranian people and for peace, is a free and democratic Iran, not the regime that is currently there."
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: THE NCRI PLATFORM IS THE RIGHT ALTERNATIVE
Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley K. Clark placed the organized democratic alternative at the center of his strategic assessment of Iran’s future.
“There is an alternative,” General Clark stated, “and that alternative has to come more and more to the center of discussion.” He identified that alternative as a free and democratic Iran grounded in popular sovereignty.
Referring directly to Mrs. Rajavi’s program, he said, “Mrs. Rajavi has a 10-point platform for the future of Iran, and at every opportunity this needs to be brought to the fore—in Congress, in Europe, and inside every home in Iran.”
Rejecting externally imposed solutions, General Clark stressed, “No outside force—not the U.S. Marines, not Israel—can bring freedom to Iran. Only the people of Iran can do this.” He concluded by calling the NCRI vision “the right platform for Iran” and “the right platform for peace and prosperity in the region.”
A CLEAR BIPARTISAN MESSAGE TO IRAN POLICYMAKERS
The House briefing delivered a clear and unified message: the Iranian people possess a legitimate, organized democratic alternative, and the international community must recognize their right to bring about regime change themselves.
Across party lines, Members rejected appeasement and affirmed that lasting stability will not come from accommodating dictatorship, whether religious or monarchical. Instead, tranquility lies in standing with the Iranian people, recognizing their resistance, and affirming their right to determine their own future.
As Congress continues to shape Iran policy, the Cannon Caucus Room briefing reflected a growing consensus that the path forward is clear: support the Iranian people, recognize the NCRI alternative, and stand firmly on the side of democracy, freedom, and human dignity.
# # #
--------------------
BACKGROUND
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is a democratic coalition of Iranian opposition organizations and personalities and was founded in Tehran, Iran, in July 1981, as the alternative to the clerical regime, a month after the onset of the nationwide resistance to overthrow the ruling dictatorship.
The NCRI is committed to the affirmation of the people’s sovereignty in a republic founded on universal suffrage and pluralism; gender equality; separation of religion and state and freedom of religions and faiths; freedom of thought, press, and association; support for peace in the Middle East; plan for the autonomy of Iranian nationalities and ethnicities; and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as embodied in Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s 10-Point Plan for Future Iran.
The NCRI would serve as a provisional government led by its President-elect Mrs. Rajavi, and its primary responsibility will be to hold free and fair elections for a national and constituent assembly within six months to ensure the peaceful transition of power to the elected representatives of the Iranian people.
Iran’s largest, most organized opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also referred to as the MEK, is the principal member of the NCRI.
For more information:
▶️ NCRI-US: https://www.ncrius.org/
▶️ Maryam Rajavi: https://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/
▶️ NCRI: https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/
▶️ MEK: https://english.mojahedin.org/
--------------------
These materials are being distributed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran-U.S. Representative Office (NCRI-US). Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
NCRI-US
National Council of Resistance of Iran - US Rep. Office
+1 202-747-7847
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Bluesky
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
X
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
