John Baird: Standing with the Iranian People Is the Only Way to Confront a Regime That Understands Only Strength

There is growing recognition internationally that appeasement or trusting the diplomatic promises of the velayat-e faqih regime is no longer a realistic option. Decades of experience have shown that this regime has used negotiations and agreements to buy time while continuing repression at home, advancing its nuclear ambitions, supporting terrorism, and destabilizing the region. In this context, former Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird’s position stands out as a clear call for a firmer policy based on supporting the Iranian people and their democratic Resistance.

John Baird, former Foreign Minister of Canada, stated:

“The Iranian regime is not a normal government that can be approached with trust or goodwill. We are dealing with a regime with a long record of human rights abuses, political executions, support for terrorism, violations of diplomatic norms, and the pursuit of tools that threaten regional and international security. You cannot negotiate with evil as if it were a reliable partner, and you cannot appease it in the hope that it will change its nature.”

He added:

“The experience of past decades has shown that this regime understands only the language of strength and deterrence. It has never honored its commitments or respected international norms. Instead, it has used every opening granted to it to expand its influence and repress its own people. That is why cutting relations with Tehran during my time as foreign minister was a necessary decision, once it became clear that normal diplomatic engagement with this regime was no longer possible.”

Baird emphasized:

“One of the ugliest faces of this regime is its systematic use of executions and repression against its opponents. From the 1988 massacre to the recent wave of executions following the January 2026 uprising, especially the targeting of political prisoners and members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, we see a regime that fears its own people more than any external force.”

He noted that the real alternative is not a return to the past:

“The Iranian people do not want to return to the Shah’s dictatorship, just as they reject the current religious dictatorship. What Iranians want is freedom, democracy, and equality. That is why Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan is so important. It offers a clear vision for the transition from dictatorship to a democratic republic based on pluralism, separation of religion and state, and equality between women and men.”

He added:

“The ban on the Free Iran gathering in Paris was deeply disappointing because it sent the wrong message to a people struggling for freedom. France, a country associated around the world with the idea of liberty, should have served as a platform for that voice, not silenced it.”

John Baird concluded:

“My message to the Iranian people, especially the young members of the Resistance and the Resistance Units inside Iran, is that you are not alone. The world sees your courage, and millions of Canadians look forward to the day when Iranians live in freedom. This regime is now at its weakest point, and I am confident that the day of freedom will come. I hope the next Free Iran conference will be held in a free Tehran.”