Seeking Regime Change Through Internal and External Pressure

President Trump Re-Implements "Maximum Pressure" Strategy on Iran

President Trump has re-implemented the "maximum pressure" strategy that defined his first-term policies towards Iran. This decision aims to bring Iran's oil exports to zero and exert enough pressure to end its nuclear ambitions and malign influence.

The administration must recognize that real change in Iran will come from the Iranian people themselves, not from the top down. This was emphasized by Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), at a recent conference in Paris.

Rajavi highlighted that the Iranian regime's malign activities are fundamental to its grip on power. Despite recent setbacks, including economic woes, regional proxy defeats, and the weakening of its "Axis of Resistance," the regime remains resistant to change.

To effectively exploit this vulnerability, domestic and foreign pressures should be applied in tandem. This means expanding economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure while openly endorsing forces within Iran pushing for regime change and democratic reform.

Rajavi's recent speech emphasized the growing popularity and activity of these forces among the Iranian people. They are poised to implement a concrete plan for freeing their country from Islamist dictatorship.

This plan, along with prior progress, will be underscored at a rally of thousands of Iranian expatriates and NCRI supporters in Paris on Saturday. The event will echo the call for recognizing regime change as the only definitive solution to the crises emanating from Tehran.

Western policymakers have long been hesitant to consider regime change in Iran, fearing chaos and instability. However, the 2022 uprising, the greatest challenge to the ruling system since the 1979 revolution, demonstrated the potential for a democratic transition.

The uprising, backed by the "Resistance Units" affiliated with the MEK, showcased strong national unity in support of a democratic cause. This unity would be further magnified by Western leaders demonstrating their political support for the Iranian people and Mrs. Rajavi's ten-point plan for a free, secular-pluralist, and non-nuclear Iran.

A US-led strategy of "Maximum Pressure Plus" would finally bring support for the Iranian people and the organized resistance into the mainstream, putting Iran on track to join the global community of democratic nations.