Former US Secretary Says Iranian Protests Aim to Topple Regime

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the current unrest in Iran represents a historic turning point, describing developments across the country as an organized revolution rather than isolated protests, with the goal of ending the rule of the Velayat-e Faqih system.

In a press statement, Pompeo pointed to the gathering of thousands at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate marking the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution, saying the demonstration reflects what he called the Iranian people’s determination to end the existing political system. He argued that the movement is rooted in decades of organized opposition activity inside Iran.

Pompeo claimed that Iran’s leadership under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reached what he described as a political dead end, citing the authorities’ response to recent unrest as evidence of vulnerability. He asserted that the government has lost legitimacy and predicted its eventual collapse, while criticizing policies he characterized as conciliatory toward Tehran.

The former U.S. official also said the international community should recognize what he described as a prepared democratic alternative led by Maryam Rajavi and the Iranian opposition. According to Pompeo, the opposition’s proposed roadmap—including separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran—offers a path toward democratic change and regional stability.

He further argued that Iranians have rejected both the current clerical system and the former monarchy, adding that opposition groups are seeking international recognition of what he described as the Iranian people’s right to resist the authorities and confront the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Pompeo reiterated his support for continuing and intensifying the U.S. “maximum pressure” policy against Tehran, saying additional economic and political pressure is necessary. He maintained that negotiated agreements alone would not bring lasting change.

Concluding his remarks, Pompeo expressed confidence that Iran is moving toward what he called a future shaped by organized opposition forces and public protest movements.