Amb. Robert Joseph: The End of Religious Dictatorship is in Sight—A Historic Opportunity for a Free Iran

Staff Writer4 weeks ago
Amb. Robert Joseph: The End of Religious Dictatorship is in Sight—A Historic Opportunity for a Free Iran
In a stirring address to an online conference

Written by
Amir Taghati
In a stirring address to an online conference hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) on March 5, 2026, former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Ambassador Robert Joseph, declared that the world is witnessing a “historic moment” as the end of Iran’s religious dictatorship finally comes into view. Following the death of the Ali Khamenei, Ambassador Joseph emphasized that while the path ahead remains difficult, the opportunity to cast off the “curse of the mullahs” has never been greater.

Drawing on his extensive background in arms control, Ambassador Joseph argued that the regime’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is “in its DNA.” He dismissed 20 years of failed negotiations and rejected diplomatic offers, stating that the world can confront the threat now or wait for a nuclear-armed regime. He warned that any attempt by the current structure to reconstitute would lead to a “fast-track” toward nuclear capability to ensure its survival.

Addressing the question of future leadership, Ambassador Joseph dismissed the prospect of re-establishing the “discredited monarchy” of the Shah’s son. He noted that the 1979 revolution was a direct response to the corruption of that previous regime and argued that the next leader must have genuine support from the people inside Iran.

Ambassador Joseph identified the PMOI and the NCRI under the leadership of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, as the only entities with the vision, organization, and dedicated Resistance Units on the ground capable of meeting the challenges of a transition.

“The NCRI… has the vision, the organization, and the dedicated Resistance Units on the ground to fight and—we pray—prevail over the regime,” he said.

The Ambassador concluded by urging the international community to recognize the NCRI’s provisional government. With resistance forces already targeting the regime’s centers of power in Tehran, Amb. Joseph expressed total confidence that Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan serves as the essential blueprint for a democratic, non-nuclear Iran.

The full text of Amb. Robert Joseph’s speech follows:

Thank you very much. Mrs. Rajavi, it’s great to see you again, and thank you for the invitation to join you. Like my colleague Senator Torricelli, I also send my prayers and my thoughts to the American men and women in uniform who are fighting and standing in harm’s way.

Today, as others have said, is a historic moment. It’s a time of unique opportunity. The end of the religious dictatorship is finally in sight. The death of the Ayatollah has ignited celebrations by Iranians around the world. But victory is not assured. The challenges are hard and difficult. The time calls for more determination, more confrontation, and more sacrifice.

But I am fully confident that you, Mrs. Rajavi, as the leader of the people’s movement that will finally topple this nightmarish regime, will succeed in casting off the curse of the mullahs on the great Persian nation.

Like others here today, I have been giving multiple interviews over the course of the last four days. In almost every case, there are three questions.

The first is what comes next? And my answer is that in the days and the weeks ahead of us, President Trump has made clear that the United States will achieve the stated objectives of the military operation Epic Fury: eliminating the ballistic missile threat, eliminating the naval threat, especially to the Strait of Hormuz, ending the regime’s support for terrorism, and foreclosing permanently the pathway to a nuclear weapon. The president has also talked about the need for regime change, not by American boots on the ground, but by the Iranian people. And recognizing the people’s right to self-determination, he has explicitly called for the people to take over the government. This is what we have been waiting for: political and moral support for the cause of a free Iran.

The second question concerns the justification for American strikes. And my response is twofold. Iran has been at war with the United States since the mullahs hijacked the revolution 47 years ago. Iran has murdered thousands of Americans from Beirut to Iraq and Afghanistan. It has used its terrorist proxies to kill Americans and our allies throughout the region and beyond. Murder and violence are in the DNA of the regime.

Perhaps even more important, the pursuit of nuclear weapons is also in the regime’s DNA. For over 20 years, negotiations failed to end the nuclear threat. President Trump made every effort to find a diplomatic outcome, but unlike his predecessors, he rejected appeasement and insisted on an effective agreement to end for all time Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The regime rejected this offer, determined to reconstitute its enrichment program, the unmistakable path to a nuclear weapon. In the end, the choice for the president was clear: confront Iran now or wait until they have a nuclear weapon. And that should be an easy choice for any American president. And I have no doubt that if this regime is allowed to reconstitute in any form, it will seek a fast-track to a nuclear weapon to ensure its survival. This is why we cannot turn back. We cannot leave the job unfinished.

The third question is who can lead Iran to a democratic non-nuclear future? The son of the deposed Shah has shown himself to be quite skilled in public relations and certainly in self-promotion, despite him having little if any support at all inside Iran. It’s simply a wonder to me that any credence would be given to the prospect of re-establishing a discredited monarchy. Remember that the 1979 revolution was aimed at overthrowing another corrupt and brutal regime, his father’s.

President Trump has taken measure of the man and has indicated that someone with the support of the people inside of Iran should be the next leader. And he is right. There is one person and one organization that can meet the challenges ahead. And no doubt there are major challenges that will require resolve, capability, and sacrifices. Revolutions are messy things and never unfold in a single direction or without great costs. This will be the ultimate test of leadership to build a free and democratic Iran based on the Ten-Point Plan.

The NCRI and MEK led by Mrs. Rajavi has the vision, the organization, and the dedicated Resistance Units on the ground to fight and we pray prevail over the regime. There is still a long way to go, but with the establishment of the provisional government which I think we should all encourage our governments to recognize and with the attacks on the regime by the resistance forces including on the Ayatollah’s compound in central Tehran, we have never been as close as we are today to achieving a better future for the Iranian people.

Mrs. Rajavi, my congratulations, and like Senator Torricelli, I can’t think of a better person who can bring Iran to its full potential, to a great future for the great Persian nation.

Thank you very much.

Staff Writer4 weeks ago
Arab-Islamic Committee in Defence of Ashraf
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