As the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) marks its 60th founding anniversary in September 2025, it stands as a testament to six decades of relentless struggle against two successive dictatorships. This milestone is not merely a historical commemoration but a vibrant demonstration of an enduring movement that has weathered immense trials and tribulations.
Despite decades of brutal suppression by both the tyrannical regimes of the Shah and mullahs, the PMOI has managed to keep the flames of resistance alive inside Iran and across the world. On September 3, 2025, the PMOI’s domestic network, the Resistance Units, launched a nationwide campaign of anti-regime activities. These actions prove that the PMOI is not only alive and thriving but is actively organized and steering Iran toward a free and democratic future through regime change.
A nationwide network of courage
The anniversary activities were not isolated incidents but a coordinated and courageous display of defiance that spanned the country, carried out amidst an intense wave of repressive measures by the regime, especially against the supporters of the PMOI. From the capital, Tehran, to major hubs like Isfahan, Mashhad, and Tabriz, and reaching into provinces like Sistan and Baluchestan (Mehrestan and Zahedan), Khuzestan (Ahvaz), and Kerman, the Resistance Units made their presence felt.
Isfahan
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of PMOI pic.twitter.com/YYaObISCCE— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 4, 2025
Activists hung large banners bearing the PMOI emblem from bridges with messages such as, “Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of PMOI” and “60 years of endless sacrifice,” honoring more than 120,000 PMOI supporters and members who laid down their lives for freedom. This widespread campaign showcases a deep-rooted and resilient network capable of operating under the nose of one of the world’s most oppressive security apparatuses.
Honoring the past, fighting for the future
A central theme of the campaign was drawing a clear, unbroken line of resistance against all forms of autocracy, powerfully encapsulated in the slogan, “Down with the oppressor, be it the shah or the mullahs,” which was brandished on placards in Hamedan. The Resistance Units paid tribute to the movement’s founders, many of whom were victims of the Shah’s tyranny.
Tehran, Chitgar square
Location where PMOI founders and members of the PMOI Central Committee were executed by the shah regime in 1972 pic.twitter.com/1Wx4ruWzwG— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 4, 2025
In Tabriz, flower wreaths were laid at the birthplace of PMOI co-founder Mohammad Hanifnejad. In Tehran, a similar tribute took place at Chitgar square, the site where the Shah’s regime executed PMOI founders and Central Committee members in 1972. In Isfahan, the birthplace of co-founder Ashghar Badizadegan was also honored with flowers. These symbolic acts reinforce the PMOI’s foundational principle: a total rejection of dictatorial rule, whether monarchical or theocratic.
Championing a democratic vision and leadership
Beyond honoring their legacy, the Resistance Units actively promoted the democratic alternative championed by the Iranian Resistance. Large posters of Iranian Resistance leader Massoud Rajavi and NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi were prominently displayed on public infrastructure, such as pedestrian bridges in Tehran.
Zahedan pic.twitter.com/4zJDDWMPB5
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 4, 2025
The campaign’s slogans articulated a clear vision for Iran’s future with support for Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran. In Zabol, placards declared the movement’s commitment to the “Separation of religion and state, freedom of religion.” In Isfahan, supporters held signs reading, “Our choice Maryam Rajavi.” The empowering motto of Maryam Rajavi, “We can and we must,” was featured on a large poster of Mrs. Rajavi in Tehran and on placards in Zabol, signaling a proactive and determined push for freedom.
The unstoppable march toward freedom
The 60th-anniversary activities are definitive proof that the PMOI has not only survived immense trials but has emerged as the principal, organized force for change inside Iran. The daring and widespread actions of the Resistance Units—happening just weeks after the regime executed two PMOI members—show that the movement is thriving, not merely surviving.
They are the engine of change, proving every day that the mullahs’ regime cannot extinguish the enduring quest for a free and democratic Iran. Their 60-year saga of persistence, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment demonstrates that while regimes may fall, the Iranian people’s march toward freedom is an unstoppable force.