Thousands of Iranian government opponents gathered in Paris on Saturday, joined by Ukrainian demonstrators, calling for the overthrow of Tehran’s leadership. Protesters were hopeful that U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ strategy could bring change to Iran.
The demonstration was organized by the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a group banned in Iran. The protest comes as two of its members face imminent execution, with six more sentenced to death in November.
“We say your demise has arrived. With or without negotiations, with or without nuclear weapons, uprising and overthrow await you,” said NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi in her speech.
Participants from across Europe, many transported by bus to the event, waved Iranian flags and chanted slogans against Iran’s leadership, while images mocking Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were displayed.
Hundreds of Ukrainians also took part, condemning Iran for supplying weapons to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the war against Ukraine.
Iryna Serdiuk, 37, a nurse-turned-interpreter originally from the embattled Donbass region and now living in exile in Germany, said she had come to Paris to stand against a common adversary.
“I’m happy to see these Iranians because they are opposition. They support Ukraine, unlike the Iranian government that provides weapons to Russia. We are together, and one day, both Ukraine and Iran will be victorious,” she said.
The NCRI, also known as Mujahideen-e-Khalq in Persian, was once designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union but was removed from those lists in 2012.
Support Inside Iran
Despite criticism over its legitimacy and influence inside Iran, the NCRI remains one of the few opposition groups capable of mobilizing large-scale demonstrations.
Mohammad Sabetraftar, 63, an Iranian exile who has lived in the United Kingdom for 40 years and runs a taxi business, dismissed skepticism about the NCRI. He argued that it was the only viable alternative to achieving democracy in Iran.
“What we expect from Mr. Trump or any Western politician is to stop supporting this government. We don’t need money, we don’t need weapons—we rely on the people. No ties with the regime, no connections, and put as much pressure as possible on this government,” he said.
Tehran has repeatedly called for a crackdown on the NCRI in Paris, Riyadh, and Washington, and the group is frequently denounced in Iranian state media.
In January, Trump’s Ukraine envoy spoke at an NCRI-organized conference in Paris, where he outlined the president’s commitment to reinstating a ‘maximum pressure’ campaign on Iran. The strategy aims to cripple Iran’s economy, forcing Tehran to negotiate on its nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and regional activities.
Homa Sabetraftar, 16, a schoolgirl from the UK, said she felt a duty to attend the rally to represent Iranian youth.
“Some people in Iran don’t have that voice and can’t speak as freely as we can here,” she said. “We need to push for a better future.”
