the end of the Ayatollahs, not the return of the Shah

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

For the first time in over a century—since the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, inspired by the French Revolution—the dream of freedom in Iran feels more attainable than ever before. The vision that lies ahead is bold and unmistakably clear: a secular republic based on the separation of religion and state, gender equality, the abandonment of nuclear weapons, an end to executions, the abolition of compulsory hijab and forced religion, and a complete rejection of authoritarian rule.

This vision also embraces ethnic autonomy, peace with neighboring countries, and peaceful coexistence with the global community.

But the road to this moment has been long and costly. Over 100,000 lives have been lost in the struggle for freedom. Time and again, the Iranian people’s resistance has been violently suppressed, at times brought to the brink of annihilation. It has been a treacherous path, walking a thin line between liberty and death. Yet, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the movement has once again soared toward the heights of freedom.

The current religious regime sees its survival as dependent on crushing Iran’s resistance—particularly the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), which forms the backbone of this ongoing struggle. But today, thanks to the unwavering perseverance of the resistance, the tide is turning. The clerical regime stands at the edge of collapse, faced with a decentralized movement powered by thousands of resistance cells across the country—individuals ready to pay any price for a brighter future. A future that belongs to the people, with no return to the past.

Despite all the suffering, executions, and even acts of genocide inflicted upon the Iranian people, remnants of the monarchy remain mired in delusion. They imagine time has reversed, and that the fall of religious tyranny will clear the path for the return of royal dictatorship. Perhaps that’s why Reza Pahlavi, son of the ousted Shah, is now seeking support from certain factions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

On July 26, Reza Pahlavi held a gathering in Munich. In an interview with Politico, he claimed that more than 50,000 regime officials and military personnel had registered on a “secure platform” in support of overthrowing the regime. He also spoke of engaging with the regime’s security and military forces about their potential involvement in bringing down the clerical leadership and establishing a secular government.

From Shah to Sheikh—and now from Sheikh back to Shah?
Is this the bitter irony of history? The answer is clear: No. History does not go backward. The monarchy cannot return to power—now rebranded as modernism—on the blood of hundreds of thousands of freedom fighters.

On July 31, Maryam Rajavi, leader of the Iranian opposition, addressed a conference in Rome attended by officials and lawmakers from Europe and the United States. She firmly stated that the religious dictatorship must be rejected in all its forms and factions. From its inception, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has drawn a clear line between both the monarchy and the theocracy—because neither represents democracy.

She emphasized that the NCRI, with its legitimacy rooted in four decades of resistance, sees freedom as the sole measure of progress. In its vision, there are no privileges and no discrimination based on belief. Every citizen—religious or not—must enjoy equal rights under the law.

Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, who was also present at the Rome conference, commented on Reza Pahlavi:
“This man has done nothing. He shouldn’t even be allowed to run a health company. Given his connections to the IRGC—a designated terrorist organization—his actions could be considered criminal. Reza Pahlavi is a traitor to the Iranian people. A free Iran is within reach because the MEK is the only group courageous enough to make it possible.”

Reza Pahlavi’s claims of engaging with elements of the regime and the IRGC to facilitate a democratic transition are nothing more than a bitter and grotesque charade. In truth, these actions only serve to prolong the life of a collapsing theocratic regime. Just as he helped derail the 2022 uprising, he now aims to block the next one—by sowing confusion and division within the ranks of the resistance.

Hamid Enayat is an Iranian analyst based in Europe. Human rights activist and opponent of his country’s regime, he writes on Iranian issues.

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