Iranian Resistance Leader: ‘Khamenei Must Go’ After U.S. Strikes Regime Nuclear Sites

Breitbart ^ | June 22, 2025 | Joshua Klein

[Macho MAGA Man]

Following U.S. airstrikes targeting Iran’s key nuclear facilities, Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), declared, “Now Khamenei must go.” She added, “The Iranian people welcome the end of the war and seek peace and freedom.”

On Sunday, Rajavi delivered a sharp rebuke of the regime, calling for sweeping change and blaming the Supreme Leader for years of costly miscalculations that have pushed the nation into crisis, driven by a now-destroyed nuclear weapons program pursued at the Iranian people’s expense.

“Khamenei is responsible for an unpatriotic project that, in addition to costing countless lives, has cost the Iranian people at least two trillion dollars — and now, it has all gone up in smoke,” she said.

She reiterated what her movement calls the Third Option:

No to appeasement, no to war—yes to regime change, i.e., changing the religious dictatorship by the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance. Forward toward a free Iran and a democratic, non-nuclear republic with separation of religion and state and gender equality.

Sunday’s strikes are widely viewed as a message to Tehran: the era of unchecked nuclear escalation is ending. For Rajavi and the NCRI, it is more proof that the clerical regime cannot be reformed — it must be replaced.

[Macho MAGA Man]

And it's a woman saying this. I think she just put a bullseye on herself but we'll see how the Mullahs react to her statement. She's saying it's up to the Persian population now if they want regime change.

[BarbM]

I sure hope Iran gets liberated. Elect a woman (hardly) or reinstate the Royal Family, just do not expect or ask for help from the USA.

NOPE, NO, NADA, NO WAY, FORGET IT, NEVER.

[fidelis]

"Her Ten-Point Plan...proposes a transitional government, free elections, a secular republic, and a non-nuclear, peaceful foreign policy anchored in universal suffrage and equal rights for all Iranians.

Sounds like a good plan, though I'm wary of the universal suffrage bit. America gave women the vote and look where's it gotten us.

[LegendHasIt]

Well, good luck with that.

[Ozymandias Ghost]

“Forward toward a free Iran”
___________________

When I see the word “Forward;” I think “Communist.”

[sauropod]

True dat.

[doc maverick]

Just read about her. She’d be better for Iran….smart, has degree in Metallurgy and is against any funding for hamas, hezbollah, etc. and is economically oriented.

[Gary from Dayton]

“America gave women the vote and look where’s it gotten us.”

Exactly.
Imagine what America would look like if women got their way.
Gore, Kerry, Obama, Hillary, Biden, Cameltoe.

[Lod881019]

This woman is incredibly brave but if that’s what the Iranians want that’s up to them.

[Owen]

She isn’t in Iran and as best I can see has not set foot in Iran for a very long time, along with her various in exile party members.

She has, on wikipedia, one Electoral History item in Iran, which she lost and it was decades ago. At that time she must have said the right things to get the Guardian Council to allow her to run . . . and lose.

This is all in-exile fundraising silliness. She’s the Juan Guaido of Iran.

[Ozymandias Ghost]

It appears the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is a front for the MEK. According to Politico they are Leftist-leaning Marxists.

Here is a link from Politico on the MEK ...for what anything from Politico worth: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/mek-backtalk-iranian-group-214526/

[Wally_Kalbacken]

In 1979, while I was a student at the University of Wisconsin, there were frequent protests by groups who would march around the State Capitol shouting, "Hey Hey, Hay Ho, the Shah has got to go!" Those ignorant fools.

Today ""Hey Hey, Hay Ho, the Ayotollah has got to go!"

[Celtic Conservative]

After having read that I think they deserve no support whatsoever. Their goals are opaque and questionable.

CC

[noiseman]

Now is the best window the non-Islamist majority in Iran will have to throw off the chains of the Islamic theocracy and restore their country. They have to do it themselves, and if they don’t grab the opportunity they will likely never get it again, and Iran will (eventually) continue to be a threat to the region and possibly the world.

If we don’t want to have to deal with the same nuclear threat again a few years down the road we need the 90% of Iranian people who are not crazy Islamists to grab the reins of power. And while we certainly should not get directly involved ourselves in any of that, we SHOULD do whatever we can covertly to support the efforts of a new democratic (small d) government.

I know, I have my concerns as well about picking a horse to back in a foreign country, and how that can backfire, but Iran is not Iraq. In Iraq, the leader we deposed was at least not ideologically Islamist, but all of the various groups that wanted to fill the vacuum were. In Iran, the Islamists are the incumbents, and those vying to replace them are not.

[No name given]

Correct.

[aquila48]

“Just read about her.”

What?? Isn’t it against freeper tradition to be informed before commenting? :)

[Degaston]

Iran could be like Syria the past 15 years in the near future.

[Blue Highway]

Sounds strangely familiar to the Hillary campaign slogan "I'm with her".

H

[Rocco DiPippo]

Well said!

[rottweiller_inc]

There’s something all should keep in mind; When Biden sent bombers towards Russia both Russia and China joined together responded to send their own. All this pushing countries around may get you a joint enemy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9x22k5qv2o