Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg asserted at a gathering of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Paris that the current Iranian regime is significantly weaker than it has been in recent decades and urged dissidents to capitalize on what he described as a historic opportunity for change.
"The window is open wider than at any moment in a generation, and windows do not stay open forever," Kellogg stated at the two-day conference. "The theocratic regime in Tehran will not leave voluntarily. You must force it. The hope is here. Now must come the action."
Kellogg, a former U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, framed any potential disarmament agreement with Iran not as a final resolution but as a preliminary step toward a broader objective: Iran's future without its current leadership. He emphasized the need for rigorous verification of any such agreement, highlighting the NCRI's historical role in disclosing Iran's nuclear facilities.
Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI's president-elect, echoed the call for regime change, asserting that neither military conflict nor negotiations had effectively addressed the threat posed by Tehran. She argued that a peaceful and non-nuclear Iran is achievable only through an overthrow of the existing government by the Iranian people and their organized resistance. Rajavi also specified that any international agreement should mandate an end to the execution of political prisoners and the suppression of protesters.
The conference, attended by Iranian expatriates from North America and Europe, faced a ban on its planned outdoor rally by French authorities due to security concerns. A French court upheld the ban, citing intelligence reports of alleged bomb threats and potential violence involving rival Iranian opposition factions, as well as possible threats from actors linked to the Iranian regime or monarchist groups.
Despite the ban, demonstrations occurred near the event site, leading to the dispersal of crowds and the arrest of approximately 20 individuals by police, according to an AFP report.
Ali Safavi, a member of the NCRI's Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the French decision as an "unjustifiable act of capitulation," arguing that France should have protected the right to peaceful assembly rather than yielding to intimidation.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also condemned the French ban as a "tragic mistake," stressing the importance of allowing Iranian opposition voices to be heard globally.
Dmytro Kuleba, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister, drew parallels between Ukraine's struggle against Russia and the Iranian opposition's fight against Tehran. He expressed dismay at the French ban and stated that Ukraine stands with those defending democracy. Kuleba also noted Iran's support for Russia's war efforts, pointing to the use of Iranian-provided technology in drone attacks on Ukraine.