Despite extreme security measures, PMOI/MEK Resistance Units took to the streets of Zahedan on Friday, July 17, reflecting the Iranian people’s will to overthrow the ruling theocracy. Holding placards in public spaces, these activists demanded a democratic republic and rejected all forms of dictatorship.
This defiance comes at a critical juncture when the regime is weaker and more desperate than ever. Following the death of Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba has proven incapable of filling the resulting power vacuum.
July 17—Zahedan, southeast Iran
Despite extreme repressive and security measures by the regime, PMOI/MEK Resistance Units returned to the streets of Zahedan on Friday to reflect the desire and will of the Iranian people to overthrow the regime and establish a democratic republic… pic.twitter.com/BaRRWbLXZx— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 18, 2026
During their activities, the Resistance Units focused heavily on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Activists displayed messages asserting that “blacklisting the IRGC as a terrorist organization is a prerequisite for peace, stability, and security.”
They emphasized that the time has come for concrete action against the clerical regime without political or economic considerations. The Resistance Units highlighted that the absolute clerical dictatorship relies on the IRGC as the ultimate instrument for preserving the Supreme Leader’s rule.
They also warned that the regime remains stuck in a dead-end strategy consisting solely of domestic suppression, a nuclear bomb-making program, and the export of war and terrorism.
https://x.com/Mojahedineng/status/2078400637432123766
The Resistance Units also took aim at the regime’s new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Recognizing his fragile political state, the activists displayed signs warning that Mojtaba is using funeral ceremonies and revenge rhetoric merely to solidify his grasp on power. They stressed that Mojtaba, much like the son of the Shah, knows well that without war, the regime has no future.
This grassroots rejection mirrors political realities at the top; nearly half of the Assembly of Experts refused to support Mojtaba’s succession, proving his inability to unite the regime’s ranks as he attempts to lead a system that views peace as a hangman’s noose.
Declaring that an awakened society will not back down despite the killing of its youth by the IRGC, the activists in Zahedan made it clear that the people will neither forgive nor forget the perpetrators of executions.
"The future of Iran, peace and freedom in Iran, lies in the establishment of a democratic republic." pic.twitter.com/URm844JBF9
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 18, 2026
The Resistance Units constitute the most important organized force within Iran’s uprisings, comprised of courageous youth who dedicate everything to freedom.
In their push for a democratic future, the Resistance Units firmly rejected a return to the past, displaying placards that read, “No to shah, no to mullahs,” and emphasizing that monarchy and mullahs’ rule represent 100 years of crimes.
They highlighted that a dictator is a dictator, whether wearing a crown or a turban. The remnants of the Shah’s dictatorship serve as a destructive force that obstructs democratic change. A regime-affiliated newspaper recently labeled monarchist activities a “blessing” and an “opportunity” for the Islamic Republic because they sow division among the opposition.
"A dictator is a dictator, whether they wear a turban or a crown" pic.twitter.com/0LzdiIai0i
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 18, 2026
The Shah’s heir openly admits he seeks change with the assistance of the IRGC and takes pride in the torture and execution of PMOI members by the Shah’s regime. The people of Iran, however, leave no room for power to pass back and forth between the Shah and the mullahs.
As the activists in Zahedan proclaimed, “history has proven that when a people makes a decision, repression will not be able to replace justice.” The lessons of experience have demonstrated that theories of the regime’s spontaneous collapse or its overthrow through foreign military intervention are dangerous illusions that serve only the ruling clerics.
The only definitive solution to Iran’s crisis is regime change achieved through the organized Resistance and the uprising of the Iranian people. With a tested alternative and the unyielding efforts of the Resistance Units, Iran will be free, and its future lies squarely in the establishment of a democratic republic.