On Saturday, thousands of Iranians abroad and various world leaders gathered to begin the Free Iran World Summit of 2024, which promotes a regime change in the Islamic Republic.

The goal of the Summit is “the conquest of Tehran and the liberation of Iran,” according to the President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Maryam Rajavi. The Summit comes just after the first round of voting in Iranian elections were held on Friday. A second round of voting will take place on July 5, a runoff between reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and conservative Saeed Jalili.

Addressing the summit, former CIA director Mike Pompeo said, “I’m convinced that you all, in your lifetime, will get to celebrate that very moment when the regime in Iran collapses.

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In a post on X, former Vice President Mike Pence stated, “No oppressive regime can last forever. Inside every human heart is an unquenchable fire that burns to be free.”

In her speech addressing the gathering, Rajavi criticized the Iranian leaders, especially calling out their taking of hostages and human trafficking.

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton also spoke at the event, beginning his speech by saying, “It should be the declared policy of the government of the United States to overthrow the regime of the mullahs in Iran.” He later pointed out the burgeoning relationship between Russia and Iran, “Russia and Iran are on the verge of signing what the Russians call a big treaty of international cooperation because of the unprecedented upswing in Russian-Iranian relations.”

Other world leaders speaking at the event included Italy MP Naike Gruppioni, former president of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, former speaker of the UK House of Commons John Bercow, and former foreign minister of France Bernard Kouchner.

The US and European countries have been at odds with the Iranian regime, partly due to Iran’s financial backing of Hezbollah and Hamas. World leaders at the conference criticized Iran’s role in supporting attacks against Israel through the Middle East military groups.

Iran’s domestic political environment has been volatile since the death of President Ebrahim Raisi was confirmed after a helicopter crash about a month ago. In recent years, the middle-eastern nation has faced significant domestic turmoil, including:

  • Inflation of 47 percent in 2023 and 32.5 percent in 2024 has caused critical economic challenges.
  • Protests erupted nationwide after the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman who died in police custody.
  • The Paydari Front and conservatives remain in power mostly out of fear of violent backlash; the government is increasingly seen as illegitimate.
  • Enforcement of compulsory Hijab laws has increased, drawing criticism from the UN.

With Raisi’s death, the pool of successors for Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has narrowed. However, what that means for the Middle East and the Iranian people is uncertain. In the current regime Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds immense political power in the country, regardless of the outcome of the recent elections.

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