Iran National Council

Political party in Iran
Iran National Council
ChairpersonReza Pirzadeh
SpokespersonReza Pahlavi[1]
FounderReza Pahlavi[2]
FoundedApril 2013; 12 years ago (2013-04)
HeadquartersParis, France[3]
IdeologyDemocratization[2]
Secularism[3]
Iranian nationalism
Political positionBig tent
Party flag
Website
irannc.org

The Iran National Council (INC; Persian: شورای ملی ایران, romanized: Šurā-ye melli-e Irān), officially the Iran National Council for Free Elections,[4] is a political umbrella group headquartered in Paris, France. It serves as part of the Iranian opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with Reza Pahlavi acting as its spokesman.[2][1] Pahlavi, who lives in the United States, is the former Crown Prince of Iran and is the son of the deposed Shah, and previously declared himself to be the new "Reza Shah II" in exile in 1980, following the 1979 revolution and the death of his father.

The "self-styled"[1] National Council claims to have gathered the support of "tens of thousands of pro-democracy proponents from both inside and outside Iran".[5] It also claims to represent religious and ethnic minorities, as well as monarchists and republicans.[6] According to Kenneth Katzman, in 2017, the group which was established with over 30 groups in 2013 had suffered defections and its activity level appeared minimal.[7][needs update]

Pahlavi has repeatedly rejected the idea of restoring the monarchy. Instead, he supports holding free elections to create a constituent assembly that will decide Iran's future government; whether that means bringing back the monarchy or creating a new republic.[8][9]

In July 2025, over 500 members of the Iranian opposition gathered in Munich for the "Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran." The goal was to build a unified opposition and create a transition plan for a post-Islamic Republic Iran.[10] The aim was to form a diverse and inclusive assembly, as Reza Pahlavi stated, representing various ethnic, religious, and political groups—including leftist, centrist, rightist, monarchist, and republican voices—working together on a shared agenda.[11] Politico called it "an unprecedented moment of unity among Iranian dissidents not seen in the 46-year rule of the ayatollahs' regime."[10][12] A large number of attendees signed on to the final statement including foundational principles of:[13]

  • Iran's territorial Integrity;
  • Protection of individual liberties and equality of all citizens;
  • Separation of religion and state; and
  • Iranian people's right to determine the future democratic form of their government.

A detailed Emergency Transitional Government Plan designed to oversee Iran's democratic transition was presented, which included a temporary executive team tasked exclusively with interim administrative duties until the establishment of a transitional government; a National Uprising Council envisioned as a strategic advisory and provisional legislative body until Iran's first freely elected parliament convenes; and Pahlavi's "personal commitment to remain outside formal political office, emphasizing his role as a facilitator of a democratic process."[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Milczanowski, Maciej (2014). "US Policy towards Iran under President Barack Obama's Administration" (PDF). Hemispheres: Studies on Cultures and Societies. 29 (4). Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures Polish Academy of Sciences: 53–66. ISSN 0239-8818. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Olivia Ward (1 June 2013). "Reza Pahlavi, son of Shah, heads pro-democracy group to end Iran's Islamic regime". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  3. ^ a b Elaine Ganley (2 May 2013). "AP Interview: New job for son of toppled shah". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017 – via Yahoo.
  4. ^ Lipin, Michael; Derakhshesh, Satareh (12 February 2017). "Iranian Prince to Trump: Be Sensitive in Considering New Immigration Order". Voice of America.
  5. ^ Jon Gambrell (9 April 2017). "Iran's long-exiled prince wants a revolution in age of Trump". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  6. ^ Verma, Sonia (6 June 2014). "Shah's son seeks support for people's revolution against Iran". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  7. ^ Katzman, Kenneth (2 June 2017), Iran: Politics, Human Rights, and U.S. Policy (PDF), Federation of American Scientists, p. 27, retrieved 16 June 2017[dead link]
  8. ^ لندن, کیهان. "برگزاری «نشست همگرایی مونیخ» با تأکید بر اصول همکاری احزاب آزادیخواه و میهن‌پرست و رهبری شاهزاده رضا پهلوی در انقلاب ملی ایران" [Holding the "Munich Convergence Meeting" with an emphasis on the principles of cooperation between freedom-loving and patriotic parties and the leadership of Prince Reza Pahlavi in the Iranian National Revolution] (in Persian). Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Prince Reza Pahlavi at the Munich Convergence Meeting: Our Goal is Solely to Save Iran" (in Persian). Iran International. 16 February 2025. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Exiled prince says 50,000 insiders back Iran regime change". Politico. 26 July 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026 – via Iran International.
  11. ^ "Change of Regime". Times Radio. 30 July 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Winston, ALEX (27 July 2025). "Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's Munich Conference: A historic moment for unity in Iran's opposition". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Victory For Iran's Crown Prince As He Becomes Revolution Leader". Tousi TV. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Toumadje, Tymahz; Hoorman, Armita (1 August 2025). "Iranian Opposition Unites Around Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi". NUFDI Iran. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  • Iran National Council Archived 15 June 2025 at the Wayback Machine
  • Reza Pahlavi
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iran_National_Council&oldid=1332708006"