On June 20, 2025, on the anniversary of a pivotal day in the struggle for a free Iran, the streets of Zahedan witnessed a courageous display of defiance. Members of the PMOI Resistance Units, risking persecution by the regime’s security forces, held placards with a message not only for the ruling clerics in Tehran but for the entire world. Their slogans made one thing unequivocally clear: the Iranian people reject all forms of tyranny and will not trade the current religious dictatorship for the monarchical despotism of the past.
The placards captured a deep-seated sentiment that has been forged over a hundred years of struggle, stating, “The shah and the mullahs have committed one hundred years of crime.” This powerful statement frames Iran’s modern history as a continuous battle against two forms of oppression, positioning the Iranian Resistance as the true inheritor of the people’s democratic aspirations.
"June 20, 1981, marks the beginning of Iran's nationwide resistance to overthrow the regime" pic.twitter.com/Ud00qgsFs8
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) June 21, 2025
A clear message: no to all dictators
The slogans brandished by the Resistance Units in Baluchestan province directly confront any false narrative that suggests Iranians must choose between two failed systems. Slogans such as, “Dictators are dictators, whether they wear a turban or a crown,” and, “Down with the oppressor, be it the shah or the mullahs,” resonate deeply within a populace that has suffered under both. This message is a powerful refutation of attempts by remnants of the former monarchy to present themselves as an alternative, reminding the world that for the people of Iran, freedom is indivisible and non-negotiable.
The specific mention that “Baluchestan is awake and hates the shah and mullahs” highlights that this sentiment is not confined to the capital but is a nationwide conviction. The people understand that true liberation cannot be achieved by replacing one tyrant with another.
"The solution to this war and crisis is the overthrow of the regime by the people of Iran and their Resistance movement." pic.twitter.com/xZbF7jvJCF
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) June 21, 2025
The lesson of June 20, 1981
This resolute rejection of all dictatorships is rooted in the lesson of June 20, 1981. On that day, the PMOI organized a peaceful demonstration in Tehran, with over 500,000 people marching to remind the new clerical regime of its duty to respect fundamental freedoms. Similar rallies took place in other cities across Iran.
In response, mullahs’ regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini ordered the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to open fire on the unarmed crowds. This massacre was a definitive turning point. It proved to the Iranian people that the mullahs’ regime was not a vehicle for liberation but a new, and in many ways more brutal, form of tyranny. It became clear that this regime could not be reformed and that freedom could only be achieved through its overthrow.
"With or without atomic (bombs), Khamenei will be overthrown" pic.twitter.com/6rztd0A8kH
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) June 21, 2025
The democratic republic: Iran’s only path forward
The activities of the Resistance Units show that the Iranian people are not just fighting against tyranny; they are fighting for a specific, viable alternative. Their placards declared, “No to mullahs, no to shah. Yes to freedom and democratic republic.” This is the core demand of the Iranian uprising. The Resistance understands that the country’s devastating poverty, systemic corruption, and the regime’s belligerent foreign policy and nuclear provocations are all direct consequences of the theocracy’s rule.
The solution, as stated on their signs, is clear: “The democratic revolution of the Iranian people will put an end to religious tyranny.” The international community must understand that supporting the Iranian people’s quest for a democratic republic is the only way to address the myriad crises emanating from Tehran. A free and democratic Iran is the ultimate guarantor of regional and global peace.