{"id":3003,"date":"2026-03-30T16:55:42","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T16:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/?p=3003"},"modified":"2026-03-30T16:55:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T16:55:42","slug":"reprint%ef%bc%9abipartisan-congressional-briefing-announces-support-for-iranian-democratic-transition-and-provisional-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/?p=3003","title":{"rendered":"Reprint\uff1aBipartisan Congressional Briefing Announces Support for Iranian Democratic Transition and Provisional Government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"U.S.
U.S. Congress member Rob Menendez addresses a briefing organized by OIAC on March 26, 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On March 26, 2026, the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC<\/a>) held a congressional briefing on democratic transition in Iran and the announcement of NCRI\u2019s provisional government. At the event, U.S. lawmakers and NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi said Iran\u2019s future should be decided by the Iranian people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They voiced support for House Resolution 166<\/a> and the NCRI\u2019s Ten-Point Plan. They also called for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic. Speakers stressed free elections, self-determination, and support for the Iranian people. Congress members also backed \u201corganized resistance\u201d and the policy of \u201cno war, no appeasement,\u201d  while several participants explicitly rejected a return to monarchy and said the way forward was \u201cthe ballot box.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad,<\/strong> Iran policy analyst and OIAC board member, opened the event by saying the gathering was also honoring Nowruz, while acknowledging \u201ca difficult year for the Iranian people,\u201d citing \u201cthe massacres that were committed by the regime in the streets\u201d and \u201cthe war and the destruction that the Iranian people are facing.\u201d Dr. Sepehrrad said the purpose of the briefing was \u201cto discuss where Iran is heading\u201d and \u201cdefine a roadmap that would deliver democracy, freedom, and a non-nuclear secular Republic of Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi<\/strong>, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said in a message to the briefing, \u2018The solution to the crisis in Iran is the overthrow of the regime, which can only be achieved by the Iranian people themselves through their organized resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said, \u201cThe answer lies with the Iranian people and youth: The Resistance Units<\/a> and the Liberation Army,\u201d and described that resistance as relying on \u201cthe experience and commitment\u201d of the PMOI\/MEK, which she said \u201chas fought against this regime for 47 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Rajavi stated the NCRI \u201creject both the former monarchical dictatorship and the current religious tyranny,\u201d adding that \u201cthe slogan of the Iranian Resistance and the provisional government is peace and freedom.\u201d She also said the Iranian Resistance \u201cdoes not ask for boots on the ground, money or weapons from foreign countries,\u201d while calling for recognition of the NCRI\u2019s provisional government, technical support for internet access, and \u201cthe expulsion of agents of the regime from U.S. soil.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citing the liberation of Iran, Rep. Brad Sherman<\/strong> said, \u201cWe have never been closer,\u201d and argued that \u201cthis regime cannot be reformed, and it needs to be replaced.\u201d He said House Resolution 166<\/a> expresses support for \u201ca democratic secular non-nuclear Republic of Iran,\u201d and called for more pressure on Tehran and its security forces. Rep. Sherman also argued that \u201cour number one tool is the truth,\u201d saying, \u201cWe have to use the internet, and we have to go back to old fashion, we need to be broadcasting in Farsi.\u201d He also pushed for tougher international action, saying Washington should ensure that \u201cour allies join the sanctions\u201d and press partners to \u201cfinally sanction the IRGC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Tom McClintock<\/strong> said, \u201cThe hour of Iran\u2019s redemption has arrived,\u201d and argued that \u201cResistance groups throughout Iran are prepared to take up arms against this regime and to finish the job.\u201d He urged support for those forces, saying they need \u201cthe full moral and material support of the United States.\u201d McClintock said the NCRI\u2019s Ten-Point Plan<\/a> \u201coffers a credible democratic pathway for Iran\u2019s future, upholding human rights, pluralism, and the rule of law.\u201d He also said \u201cthis already crippled and withered regime must be ripped out by its roots\u201d and pointed to \u201cthe many resistance groups\u201d and \u201cthese thousands of small cells across Iran\u201d that, he said, had \u201cawaited the arrival of spring.\u201d At the same time, he said, \u201cIt will ultimately be up to the people of Iran to decide their future democratically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Randy Weber<\/strong> repeatedly invoked the Ten-Point Plan, listing \u201crejection of the absolute clerical rule,\u201d \u201cfreedom of speech,\u201d \u201cfreedom of political parties,\u201d \u201cfreedom of assembly,\u201d and \u201cfreedom of the press and the internet,\u201d as well as the \u201cdissolution of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.\u201d He said, \u201cWe\u2019re behind this movement. We\u2019re behind the Ten-Point Plan,\u201d and added, \u201cThis is not anti-America. These are people crying out for their God-given freedoms highlighted in Maryam Rajavi\u2019s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran.\u201d Weber also said, \u201cThe Iranian regime has been in business too long\u201d and \u201cit is time that they go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Deborah Ross<\/strong> said she was \u201ca proud original co-sponsor of House Resolution 166<\/a>,\u201d which she described as outlining \u201cthe Ten-Point Plan, a roadmap for a free, secular, and democratic Iran grounded, grounded in human rights, gender equality, and the separation of religion and state.\u201d She said that while Congress has shown bipartisan support for \u201cthe Iranian people\u2019s aspirations,\u201d \u201cthere\u2019s so much more work to be done getting rid of the regime.\u201d Rep. Ross added that \u201cIranians are courageously leading a democratic movement themselves\u201d and said she was working \u201cto advocate for an end to this war in a way that the people of Iran are free and supported\u201d and able \u201cto form their own new democratic regime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Glenn Grothman<\/strong> said the key issue was not simply a change of faces in Tehran, but a change in the nature of the government itself. \u201cAs long as they have a government that says we are going to build nuclear bombs and we are also going to destroy the United States and destroy Israel,\u201d he said, Iran would remain both repressive at home and dangerous abroad. Rep. Grothman urged supporters to tell members of Congress that \u201cwhen this war wraps up, we want Iran to have a government\u201d with \u201cWestern style freedoms,\u201d including \u201cfreedom of speech\u201d and \u201cfreedom of religion.\u201d He also said, \u201cwe have to make sure there\u2019s always internet for people,\u201d and argued that any eventual settlement should ensure \u201ca Westernized and free country.\u201d Rep. Grothman said Iranians \u201cwant and deserve\u201d that form of government and warned against a situation in which \u201cwe just have another 30,000 protesters die and nothing for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Tim Burchett<\/strong> said \u201cthe people of Iran deserve freedom\u201d and endorsed Mrs. Rajavi\u2019s political program<\/a>, saying \u201cher roadmap sends a clear message that we do back a transition to a republic based on the will of the people in free elections.\u201d He also said, \u201cno war and no appeasement\u201d and argued that \u201cwe should recognize the rights of the people and organized resistance to bring change about.\u201d Rep. Burchett added that \u201cwhat bothers me is the people and the mistreatment of the people,\u201d and said he hoped Iranians would know \u201cthat America backs their will for freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Rob Menendez<\/strong> thanked the audience and stressed that \u201cwhat I\u2019ve said from my time in office, what I will continue to say, is that the future of Iran will be determined by the Iranian people.\u201d Rep. Menendez described \u201ctheir right to a free Iran, one 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.\u201d He added, \u201cThat future seems near,\u201d and said he was \u201ceager to see what is ahead for Iran\u201d and \u201cwhat is ahead for the Iranian community here in the United States.\u201d He closed by telling the audience, \u201cIn everything we do moving forward, you will have my support and partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Christian Menifee<\/strong> linked his remarks to the late Sheila Jackson Lee, saying she had long stressed \u201cthe importance of supporting democratic movements in Iran.\u201d He said that means \u201censuring that organic movements are supported\u201d and working \u201cto stop the repression that we have seen from this regime.\u201d Rep. Menifee added that his commitment is \u201cto support folks who are fighting for democracy in Iran,\u201d while also \u201copposing any efforts that would harm civilians in Iran,\u201d and ensuring that the U.S. approach is \u201cto support people on the ground and not to try to force that change on them from abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. John Moolenaar<\/strong> said it was \u201ca challenging time for the people of Iran\u201d and spoke of hearing from friends in the United States \u201cwho have loved ones\u201d in Iran and \u201csuch hopes for the future.\u201d He said, \u201cMy hope is that the people of Iran will experience the freedoms that we enjoy here in the United States,\u201d adding that \u201cIran has tremendous potential which has really been discouraged these last 47 years.\u201d Rep. Moolenaar also welcomed discussion of \u201cvision and ideas for the future,\u201d saying \u201cit\u2019s important that we put those ideas out there that people have a chance to digest and really collectively think about the future of Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editor’s Note: As one of the most steadfast organizations in the overseas Chinese democracy movement, we closely follow the situation in Iran and firmly support the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On March 26, 2026, the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) held a congressional briefing on democratic transition in Iran and the announcement of NCRI\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","wpcat-10-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3003"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3005,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3003\/revisions\/3005"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fdcusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}