Key Opposition Figures Gathered at Georgetown University

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On Friday afternoon, February 10, 2023, a meeting of eight well-known exile opposition figures was held. The event was hosted by Georgetown University’s School of International Relations and was directed by Karim Sadjadpour, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

At this meeting, it was announced that a joint Charter emphasizing shared principles based on human rights and human equality, has been prepared and will be published by the end of the current month.

Shirin Ebadi, the first speaker of the session, stated, “The revolution that began with the killing of Mahsa Amini cannot be stopped and its final station is the fall of the Islamic Republic. If this regime has been able to continue its life so far, it was because we were not united.”

Abdullah Mohtadi, the Secretary-General of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, stated at the meeting, “Jina Amini has become the inspiration for a revolution for freedom throughout Iran. We all demand equality, the elimination of discrimination, and that no injustice is repeated in the future of Iran.”

Golshifteh Farahani, in a joint message published with Ali Karimi, stated, “Ali Karimi and I are not politicians, but we are the voice of the Iranian people. Discussing the type of government in the current situation is a ‘betrayal’.”

Nazanin Boniadi expressed, “Increasing Iran’s oil sales to China means financing oppression. She demanded maximum pressure to isolate the Islamic Republic and close these financial paths.”

As for the guidance of the revolution from outside Iran, Esmailion stated, “The 1980s generation seeks to overturn all prevailing norms… There may be another view that wants to change the Islamic Republic at the lowest cost…. I express my happiness for the release of Dr. Farhad Meysami, who has been active in nonviolent movements.”

Masih Alinejad named individuals like Hussein Ronaghi, Majid Tavakoli, and Nasrin Sotoudeh as potential leaders of Iran’s protests, stating they could lead these protests.

Reza Pahlavi emphasized in this meeting, “The group gathered at Georgetown University is not a leadership council, but their goal is to assist in the formation of a leadership council.”