A Call For International Action

A Call to New Resolve in Battle against the Iranian Mullahs

By: Amil Imani

The recent ceasefire in the conflict between Iran and Israel has not brought peace to the Iranian people. Instead, it has unleashed a brutal campaign by the Islamic Republic’s theocratic regime to tighten its grip on power. The mullahs, sensing their vulnerability after widespread unrest and dissent, have launched a vicious crackdown, targeting ordinary citizens, activists, and minority groups with arrests, executions, and intimidation. Over 700 individuals have been detained across Iran in just 12 days, with hundreds more in Tehran alone, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency. Six executions on espionage charges have already occurred, and more are expected. The regime’s message is clear: dissent will be crushed at all costs. The Iranian people, yearning for freedom, cannot achieve it while being hunted and killed. The international community, particularly the United States, must act decisively to support Iranians in their struggle to dislodge the mullahs and secure a referendum for a free Iran where they can determine their government and destiny.

The Islamic Republic’s tactics are ruthless and systematic. Checkpoints have sprung up across cities like Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Khuzestan, enabling mass arrests of anyone suspected of dissent or even curiosity. A Tehran-based human rights lawyer told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on June 25, 2025, that many detainees at these checkpoints were simply filming out of curiosity, yet they now face fast-tracked trials in kangaroo courts without legal representation. The destruction of Evin Prison’s administrative buildings in an Israeli strike has further eroded any semblance of due process, leaving families and lawyers unable to advocate for detainees. Meanwhile, the regime’s parliament is pushing a draconian new espionage law that could impose the death penalty for acts as simple as sharing content on social media, labeling them as “spreading corruption on Earth.” This legal framework, combined with the regime’s unchecked power, is designed to terrorize the population into submission.

The targeting of specific groups reveals the regime’s desperation to eliminate all opposition. Activists, including sociologists, rappers, and professors, have been arrested without warrants, often violently. Minority communities, particularly Kurds and Baha’is, face disproportionate persecution. In Kurdish cities, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has set up checkpoints to detain individuals arbitrarily, with some families unaware of their loved ones’ fates. A Kurdish activist reported to CHRI that many are now in hiding, fearing retribution for past political or civic engagement. Baha’i citizens, long persecuted by the regime, have seen at least 20 arrests or home searches since the conflict began. Even families seeking justice for loved ones killed in prior protests are being silenced through arrests. This purge is not just a response to war – it’s a calculated effort to eradicate the seeds of rebellion that have grown since the Women, Life, Freedom protests.

The Iranian people need more than mere condemnation – they require concrete support to overthrow the mullahs and establish a government of their choice. History provides a clear lesson: without outside intervention, oppressive regimes can solidify their rule for generations. Had the United States not joined the Allies to free France in World War II, the French might still be living under Nazi control, speaking German in a world dominated by tyranny. Similarly, the Iranian people cannot remove the mullahs alone while facing state violence and repression. The global community, led by the U.S., must step up to empower them. If arming Iranian resistance groups to defend themselves against the IRGC and Basij forces is necessary, so be it. A free Iran, where citizens can vote in a referendum to determine their government, is worth the effort.

The upcoming U.S.-Iran talks offer a crucial chance to directly address the regime’s human rights abuses. The Trump administration must clearly state that the international community will not accept Tehran’s violent suppression. Hadi Ghaemi, CHRI’s executive director, warned that ignoring these abuses risks legitimizing the regime’s brutality. The U.S. should demand an immediate halt to arbitrary arrests, executions, and restrictions on internet access, which the regime uses to isolate and control its citizens. Beyond diplomacy, the U.S. and allies should consider providing resources to Iranian resistance movements, whether through funding, intelligence, or, if needed, weapons. The mullahs have demonstrated they will kill one by one to stay in power; the Iranian people need the means to fight back.

Skeptics may argue that arming Iranians risks escalating regional tensions or creating instability. But the alternative – inaction – guarantees the perpetuation of a regime that not only oppresses its people but also threatens global security through its support for terrorism and nuclear ambitions. The Iranian people have already shown their courage through protests and acts of defiance. They are not asking for charity; they are asking for the tools to secure their freedom. A referendum in a free Iran, where citizens can vote without fear of execution or imprisonment, is the only path to lasting change. The mullahs’ grip on power is weakening, but they will not fall without a fight. The U.S. and its allies must stand with the Iranian people, just as they stood with the French in their darkest hour, to ensure that freedom prevails.

The era of half-measures has ended. The Iranian regime’s crackdown is a desperate attempt to cling to power, but it also reveals its fragility. By supporting the Iranian people through diplomatic pressure, resources, or direct aid, the international community can help them seize this moment to remove the mullahs. A free Iran, led by the will of its people, isn’t just a dream; it’s a necessity for regional stability and global justice. The world cannot stand by while the mullahs kill their way to control. The Iranian people deserve the chance to shape their future, and they need our help to make it happen.

Surprisingly, I have noticed some similarity between Prince Reza Pahlavi and President Donald Trump. A successful billionaire who was content with his empire and didn’t want the hassle of becoming the President of the United States. However, it was his passion, purpose, and destiny to Make America Great Again.

Prince Pahlavi also led a comfortable life and did not need this kind of distress. But, something big, something more powerful was calling to him that he must fulfill his destiny. Although he pledged his oath to become the next in line as the Shah of Iran, he has stated that he is not seeking the crown unless and until the Iranian people decide in his favor to do so. For now, his focus is not the revival of the Pahlavi dynasty, and on numerous occasions has stated it is up to the people of Iran to decide their future form of government.

Iranian people inside and abroad have given Prince Reza Pahlavi symbolic power of attorney to lead the current revolution. “Pahlavi, you are our representative,” and “Pahlavi is our choice, the leader of our revolution,” people in every corner of Iran shouted upon his return. But there is a huge obstacle in the Western world’s derangement syndrome against Prince Pahlavi, and the West has been hobnobbing with the People’s Mujahideen of Iran, commonly known as the Mujahideen-e-Khalq or MEK, a notorious Iranian resistance Islamist Marxist group; it was once listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States for its alleged killing of U.S. personnel in Iran during the 1970s, and for its ties to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Pahlavi’s mission is a transition from the present failed Islamic regime to a secular democracy as the central objective in pursuance of a Constitutional Assembly, elected by the entirety of eligible Iranian voters under the supervision of international monitors. It could be the means to usher in a new system of governance. President Trump should invite Prince Pahlavi into the while house and discuss the regime and the desire of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy.

Great opportunities don’t come every day — recognize and seize them whenever you can. If we fail to act on this golden chance now, future historians will ask: how could the entire group have seen it coming and done nothing about it? What kind of drugs were these people on?

Exclusive permission was given to use this graphic by Dr. Iman Foroutan, chairman of the Board and Executive Director, The New Iran
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