“Now is the time to rise. Neither chance, nor coincidence, nor imaginary forces-none of these will cause change in Iran. This regime will neither collapse nor will it implode from within. There is only one way. That one and only way is organized resistance and uprising. Everything depends on the will and struggle of the children of Iran. Everything depends on whether we are willing to pay the full price for freedom. This is why we have come to the forefront. And we declare: Now is the time to rise.”
Message to the Rally and Demonstration of Iranians and Supporters of the Iranian Resistance in Washington, D.C. -It Is Time to Rise Up
I send my greetings to you and your rally and march, which proudly upholds the flag of Iran’s resistance and uprising.
On this day, International… pic.twitter.com/PqvyNmGMDL— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 8, 2025
This is part of a message from Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), to the Iranians demonstrating in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, March 8, 2025, commemorating International Women’s Day.
According to Agence France-Presse, on March 8, 2025, thousands of Iranian supporters gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol Building to participate in a demonstration.
The gathering of Iranians and representatives of various Iranian communities from different states of America began at 1 p.m. Washington time in front of the U.S. Congress. After speeches by a number of prominent American figures and representatives of Iranian communities, the crowd marched from the Capitol to the White House.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani wrote about his attendance and speech at the demonstration: “I joined thousands of Iranian Americans in our nation’s capital. I’m proud to contribute to the critical efforts by Madame Rajavi for a democratic and non-nuclear Republic of Iran—the ONLY viable path to peace in the Middle East.”
I joined thousands of Iranian Americans in our nation's capital.
I'm proud to contribute to the critical efforts by Madame Rajavi for a democratic and non-nuclear Republic of Iran—the ONLY viable path to peace in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/n56syI6O74
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) March 8, 2025
In his speech to the rally, he emphasized that freeing Iran will not need American or European forces and only needs to rely on its own opposition, Mrs. Rajavi, and the National Council of Resistance of Iran. As long as the terror regime of Ali Khamenei remains in power, efforts to establish peace in the Middle East will not be effective, Mr. Giuliani said.
Brad Sherman, a Democratic Congressman, expressed his pleasure at attending the gathering of Iranians calling for a free, democratic, and non-nuclear Iran, stressing that the only way to end the rule of the mullahs is to support the people of Iran and their struggle for democracy.
Brad Sherman also paid homage to brave Iranian women fighting the regime on International Women’s Day. He also reminded that the PMOI was the first party to reveal to the world in 2002 that the Iranian regime was working on nuclear weapons.
On International Women’s Day, we honored the brave Iranian women who have risked and lost their lives to fight for freedom in Iran. #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/AtB4KmAHlK
— Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) March 9, 2025
Senator Sam Brownback, another speaker at the demonstration, pointed to the necessity of regime change for peace and security, noting that the winds of change are blowing in Tehran and that regime change in Iran will be possible by the Iranian people. He called on European leaders to support regime change in Iran.
In her speech, which was broadcast online to the demonstrators, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi said: “– Women are the force for change. Active and equal participation of women in political leadership is essential for freedom and democracy. The liberation of women is the prerequisite for the liberation of men. And the overthrow of the Velayat-e Faqih regime will be achieved through women’s leadership. Yes, Women- Resistance-Freedom… To turn the dark page of Iran’s history, the Resistance Units and their leading women, who stand at the forefront, must be supported… Indeed, against a regime that wages an unrelenting war on its people, using organized violence and its criminal Revolutionary Guards, what response could be more powerful than an organized uprising and resistance waged by the Resistance Units?”