Bipartisan Briefing In US Congress Charts Path For Democratic Transition In Iran – OpEd

While Iran is in one of its most tumultuous times, the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) held a bipartisan congressional briefing on March 26, 2026, focusing on a democratic transition in Iran and the announcement of the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI) provisional government. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle gathered to express support for the Iranian people’s right to self-determination, emphasizing that the future of Iran must be decided by its citizens.

The conference took place against the backdrop of an important juncture in Iran. Between December 2025 and January 2026, a massive round of nationwide uprisings spread to hundreds of cities, bringing the ruling establishment to its knees. The regime maintained its grip on power solely through the massacre of thousands of unarmed protesters. Weeks later, the geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically. On February 28, 2026, United States and Israeli airstrikes targeted regime assets, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and multiple senior officials. By March 9, the regime installed Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, signaling a continuation of its absolute clerical rule.

Maryam Rajavi’s Vision for a Democratic Transition

In her keynote address to the briefing, NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi outlined a clear vision for Iran’s democratic transition in the wake of recent upheavals. Speaking to the January uprising and the shifting geopolitics of the Middle East, Mrs. Rajavi dismantled long-held Western assumptions about the regime’s stability. She emphasized that the elevation of Khamenei’s son demonstrates the regime’s intent to maintain its destructive path of nuclear proliferation, ballistic missile development, and proxy warfare. Mrs. Rajavi noted that the regime’s survival relies on extreme brutality, referencing the thousands of unarmed protesters massacred in January.

Rejecting both monarchical dictatorship and religious tyranny, Mrs. Rajavi presented the NCRI as a viable, democratic alternative with deep historical backing. She summarized the movement’s core message, stating, “The slogan of the Iranian Resistance and the provisional government is peace and freedom.”

Mrs. Rajavi argued that internal change relies on the Iranian people and their Resistance Units, who recently targeted Khamenei’s headquarters. She explicitly warned Western policymakers against continued leniency, emphasizing, “A policy of appeasement ultimately leads to conflict.”

To facilitate a democratic transition, Mrs. Rajavi outlined three specific policy recommendations for the international community. First, she called for the recognition of the NCRI’s provisional government to transfer sovereignty to the Iranian people. Second, she urged the provision of effective technical support to ensure Iranians have uninterrupted access to the internet. Finally, she demanded the expulsion of the regime’s agents from United States soil, stressing that the solution to the Iranian crisis lies entirely in the hands of its organized resistance.

Standing with the Iranian People’s Protests and Vision

Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad, an Iran policy analyst and OIAC board member, framed the briefing within the context of Nowruz and the bloody events of the preceding months. She acknowledged “a difficult year for the Iranian people,” specifically citing “the massacres that were committed by the regime in the streets” and “the war and the destruction that the Iranian people are facing.”

Representatives focused heavily on ensuring the Iranian people’s sacrifices result in genuine democratic change. Representative Christian Menifee stressed the importance of “ensuring that organic movements are supported” and working “to stop the repression that we have seen from this regime.” He warned against forcing change from abroad, advocating a strategy designed “to support people on the ground and not to try to force that change on them from abroad.”

Representative Rob Menendez reiterated this commitment to self-determination, affirming that “the future of Iran will be determined by the Iranian people.” He envisioned a future “in which they can prosper and live the lives that they have so eagerly hoped that they would one day have the opportunity to live,” adding, “That future seems near.”

Representative John Moolenaar reflected on the “challenging time” but noted the country has “tremendous potential which has really been discouraged these last 47 years.”

Support for the NCRI’s Provisional Government, Ten-Point Plan, and Third Option

At the congressional briefing, U.S. lawmakers aligned closely with the NCRI’s vision for the country’s future. Emphasizing the “Third Option” that relies on the Iranian people rather than foreign intervention or appeasement, members of Congress pointed to House Resolution 166 as a guiding framework.

Representative Randy Weber highlighted the specifics of this vision, noting its call for the “rejection of the absolute clerical rule,” “freedom of speech,” and “freedom of political parties.” He voiced unambiguous support for the NCRI’s roadmap, stating, “We’re behind this movement. We’re behind the Ten-Point Plan… These are people crying out for their God-given freedoms highlighted in Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran.”

Representative Deborah Ross, an original co-sponsor of House Resolution 166, characterized the plan as “a roadmap for a free, secular, and democratic Iran grounded in human rights, gender equality, and the separation of religion and state.” Ross noted that while Congress exhibits bipartisan backing for the Iranian people, “there’s so much more work to be done getting rid of the regime.”

Representative Tom McClintock echoed these sentiments, observing that the Ten-Point Plan “offers a credible democratic pathway for Iran’s future, upholding human rights, pluralism, and the rule of law.” McClintock affirmed that while the NCRI provides the framework, “It will ultimately be up to the people of Iran to decide their future democratically.”

The Need for a Tough Policy on Iran’s Regime and the IRGC

With the regime in Tehran severely weakened following the uprisings and the elimination of its top leadership, lawmakers called for an uncompromising posture toward the state’s security apparatus. Representative Brad Sherman stressed that Washington must ensure “our allies join the sanctions” and press international partners to “finally sanction the IRGC.” Sherman firmly stated, “this regime cannot be reformed, and it needs to be replaced.”

Representative Glenn Grothman warned against merely changing the faces of the Iranian regime leadership without dismantling its threatening infrastructure. “As long as they have a government that says we are going to build nuclear,” Grothman noted, the regime will remain a dual threat. He advocated for a government that embraces freedoms, adding that the U.S. “have to make sure there’s always internet for people.”

Representative Weber also emphasized the necessary “dissolution of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps,” adding that “The Iranian regime has been in business too long” and “it is time that they go.”

Support for the PMOI Resistance Units and Organized Resistance

Recognizing the internal drivers of change, several speakers highlighted the critical role of organized resistance networks actively operating inside Iran. Acknowledging the heavy toll the recent uprisings took on the populace, lawmakers praised the resilience of the groups facing off against state security forces.

Representative McClintock observed that “Resistance groups throughout Iran are prepared to take up arms against this regime and to finish the job.” He urged for comprehensive backing of these forces, stating they require “the full moral and material support of the United States.” Pointing to the internal networks that survived the recent crackdowns, McClintock noted that “these thousands of small cells across Iran” had “awaited the arrival of spring,” and concluded that “this already crippled and withered regime must be ripped out by its roots.”

Representative Tim Burchett explicitly supported the “no war and no appeasement” policy. He stressed the necessity of backing the people on the ground, stating, “we should recognize the rights of the people and organized resistance to bring change about.”

Rejection of Both Shah and Mullahs’ Regimes

A recurring theme throughout the briefing was the unequivocal rejection of both the current theocratic dictatorship and any return to the former monarchical system. Speakers cautioned against historical mistakes where foreign powers dictated Iran’s leadership.

Representative Val Hoyle was explicit in her opposition to both foreign wars and the resurrection of the monarchy. “I support the Iranian people’s right to self-determination, to choose their government and not have a government be chosen for them,” she stated. Reflecting on past U.S. interventions, Hoyle noted that “imposing leaders, monarchs, on the Iranian people, … did not work out well for the Iranian people.”

She emphasized that the Iranian people have consistently stood up against oppression, “whether it was the Shah or the Ayatollah.” Consequently, Hoyle stated that true political legitimacy can only stem from “a government by and for the Iranian people,” and she explicitly rejected the idea of “replacing the Ayatollah with a hand-picked monarch.”

Ultimately, the consensus among the speakers was clear: the international community must support the Iranian people’s protests, back their organized democratic movement, and stand aside as they dismantle all forms of tyranny to build a secular, free, and democratic republic.