Jafarzadeh: Khamenei’s death marks the inevitable end of the Velayat-e Faqih dictatorship and the beginning of popular sovereignty and a democratic republic

Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), stated today that the death of Khamenei—the executioner—signals the collapse now underway of the religious dictatorship and the end of the Velayat-e Faqih system. He emphasized that the time has come for freedom and for the full sovereignty of the Iranian people to be established.

Jafarzadeh said: "Based on the Ten-Point Plan to transfer power to the people, the National Council of Resistance of Iran has announced a provisional government. This is a historic step whose roots go back to October 1981 (Mehr 1360), when a national and democratic alternative to the ruling system was declared."

He added: "As the Iranian people have proven in their nationwide uprisings, they categorically reject a return to the past or the continuation of the current catastrophic situation. They reject both the mullahs’ dictatorship and the Shah’s dictatorship, and they look forward to a bright future under a pluralistic democratic republic."

Jafarzadeh continued: "We send a clear message to the international community: only the Iranian people possess the legitimacy to determine their political destiny. We have always emphasized that Iran’s sons and daughters write their destiny with their own blood, and we need no foreign military intervention or outside financing. We reject the presence of any foreign force on our national soil."

He explained: "This moment is a moment for solidarity and unity against the remnants of the religious dictatorship and authoritarian fascism that seeks to steal the Iranian people’s democratic revolution and the sacrifices of 47 years of suffering and blood. The NCRI, as the longest-standing democratic coalition—sustained by the sacrifices of 100,000 martyrs—presented the 'National Solidarity Front' plan 24 years ago. The Council calls on all forces committed to overthrowing the Velayat-e Faqih system and establishing a democratic republic based on the separation of religion and state to work together and move beyond differences at this historic juncture."

In closing, Jafarzadeh said: "Under NCRI resolutions, the provisional government is committed to holding free and fair elections within six months of establishing itself on the soil of the homeland to form a Constituent Assembly and a National Parliament. The mission of this Assembly is to draft a new constitution and determine the new republican system. We reiterate that the NCRI and the provisional government do not seek power; their sole aim is to guarantee democratic change and transfer sovereignty to the people of Iran."