On October 22, the world commemorates the anniversary of Maryam Rajavi’s election as the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
This appointment not only symbolizes a significant political shift but also represents the Iranian Resistance’s rigorous challenge to the misogynistic rule of Iran’s mullahs.
Decades ago, in a monumental move that would reshape the resistance’s ethos, the Iranian Resistance placed women at the forefront of its leadership.
On October 18, 1989, Massoud Rajavi, then Secretary General of the PMOI, handed the reins of leadership to Maryam Rajavi, acknowledging her unique qualifications to lead the movement against successive dictatorships.
This decision was more than just a leadership change. It was a staunch rebuttal of the mullahs’ regressive and misogynistic beliefs. Under Maryam’s leadership, the organizational structure underwent a significant transformation, ensuring that women occupied roles that were once male-dominated. This encouraged women to harness their strengths, while men were urged to re-evaluate and modify their perceptions of women.
Maryam’s leadership acumen was further endorsed when, on August 28, 1993, the NCRI elected her as President-elect for the transition of power to the Iranian populace. The NCRI, acting as a parliament-in-exile, boasts of over half of its members being women, many of whom hold influential positions.
Throughout her tenure, Maryam Rajavi has consistently championed the core tenets of Islam — tolerance and democracy countering the extremist interpretation pushed by the mullahs.
Her publications, which include titles like “Tolerant Islam vs. Extremism” and “Women against Fundamentalism”, echo this belief. Maryam’s unwavering commitment to gender equality has never been more evident than when she entrusted the PMOI’s responsibilities to an all-woman Leadership Council. Her global outreach, involving prominent figures from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia, emphasizes the vision of a free Iran where democracy flourishes and gender equality prevails.
One of her significant achievements includes the successful campaign to delist the PMOI as a terrorist organization in various nations. Moreover, her relentless efforts over 14 years ensured the safe relocation of PMOI members from Iraq, concluding in September 2016.
Rajavi’s call for justice for the victims of the 1988 massacre in Iran further emphasized her commitment to holding the mullahs accountable. This movement has broken three decades of silence, compelling the regime’s leaders to address this grave crime.
The heightened participation of women in protests from 2009 to 2022 signifies the changing dynamics under the mullahs’ regime.
This evolution, recognized even by the clerical regime’s leaders, can be largely attributed to the PMOI’s influence, with women playing a pivotal role.
As regime change in Iran appears imminent, it’s evident that this transformation owes much to Maryam Rajavi’s vision of gender equality. Her revolutionary ideas have deeply ingrained in the movement’s members, empowering them to challenge and eventually topple the mullahs’ repressive regime.
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