On Monday, 30 March 2026, Iran’s authorities carried out the execution of two political prisoners identified as supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The executions of Mohammad Taghavi and Ali Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, both aged 59, were reported by Tasnim News Agency, a media outlet closely linked to Iran’s security establishment. Mrs Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) paid tribute to the men as martyrs.
Both men had a history of political imprisonment. Taghavi had previously been jailed in the 1980s and again in 2020 on charges related to alleged ties with the MEK, while Daneshvarkar, a civil engineer, was arrested in January 2024. Their death sentences were issued in November 2024 by Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari and later upheld in December 2025 following brief and separate retrial hearings. Their executions have intensified concerns among activists that other political prisoners may face a similar fate.
Opposition supporters gather at London rally
Just days earlier, on 28 March, supporters of the Iranian opposition had gathered in central London. At Marble Arch, activists aligned with the NCRI held a rally calling for international recognition of their movement as a democratic alternative to the current Iranian system. Demonstrators voiced support for regime change, urged the UK government to adopt a firmer stance toward Tehran, and promoted the political platform of NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi.
Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East, was one of the rally’s speakers. He opened by expressing solidarity with the Iranian people and paying tribute to the bravery of protesters resisting repression, while emphasising support for their struggle for a democratic republic. He went on to urge the UK government and Foreign Office to take this situation seriously by reviewing Iran’s diplomatic presence. This included calls to proscribe the IRGC, close the Iranian Embassy in London, and expel regime-linked diplomats and intelligence agents. He said:
“We stand with the courageous resistance units confronting the IRGC and the regime’s repressive forces across the country. Your determination is unbreakable, and it is through your struggle that the Iranian people will triumph over the regime. In every province, every city, and every street, you continue your struggle, risking your lives. You will never surrender to those who have hijacked the sovereignty of your people.”
MP urges for democracy
Blackman continued: “Friends, today we rally behind a clear message: No to the Mullahs. No to the Shah. Yes to a democratic republic. The change the Iranian people demand is no longer a distant hope, it is within reach. The regime is at its weakest point, especially after the death of Supreme Leader, and the will of the people and their organised resistance are stronger than ever.
In this critical moment, we welcome and support the provisional government, based on Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan announced by the National Council of Resistance of Iran last month, to transfer sovereignty to the people of Iran and lay the foundation for a democratic republic. This provisional government represents the final piece of the puzzle for Iran’s future. It offers both a viable political alternative and a practical roadmap for transition, providing the people with a framework to organise resistance and a clear vision for a free and democratic future.
This is not just an idea. Together with the active resistance units inside the country, which have mobilised in support of the provisional government and raised its banner across cities nationwide, it gives hope to millions inside Iran who seek change and a system that reflects their aspirations for democracy.”
UK allies for NCRI
The rally formed part of a broader pattern of diaspora mobilisation, with participants presenting themselves as advocates for a secular and democratic future in Iran.
On 26 March, a group of British parliamentarians and activists convened at Westminster to discuss Iran policy and express support for the NCRI. Speakers at the event called on the UK government to recognise the NCRI as a provisional government and to shift away from what they described as conciliatory policies toward Tehran. The meeting, held around the time of Nowruz, brought together cross-party figures and civil society representatives, reflecting continued efforts by the Iranian opposition to build institutional backing in the United Kingdom. Mrs Maryam Rajavi the president-elect of the NCRI sent her message with the slogan “Peace and Freedom” to this event:
“The people of Iran no longer accept the continuation of the present dictatorship, nor do they seek a return to the authoritarian rule that preceded it.”…“Unlike the offspring of the mullahs and the Shah, we seek peace and freedom. We seek justice and independence. We do not seek power, we seek the transfer of power to the people of Iran.”
Choosing the third option
Across the Atlantic, similar messaging has been echoed by a number of former American officials. In a statement highlighted by NCRI sources, prominent U.S. political and military figures expressed support for a “Free Iran” vision and endorsed the NCRI’s democratic roadmap. The statement referenced ongoing unrest inside Iran and framed the country as being at a critical historical juncture. It also reiterated backing for Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, which outlines proposals for a secular republic, gender equality, and the rule of law.
Together, these developments: executions inside Iran, protests in London, parliamentary discussions in the UK, and statements from U.S. figures, illustrate a coordinated narrative emerging around Iran’s future. They connect domestic repression with international advocacy and political lobbying, presenting the NCRI and its affiliated movement as a central actor in opposition to the current system.
Yet, amid these international efforts, a central argument continues to be emphasised by supporters of the movement: that meaningful change in Iran must ultimately come from within. The 4 decades of the appeasement policy has failed and the war is not going to change this regime.
There is a third option: the Iranian people themselves through sustained protest and organised resistance, remain the decisive force in determining the country’s future. In this context, only an organised resistance such as the MEK and the NCRI are presented not as external imposers of change, but as part of an internal movement capable of mobilising and guiding a transition.
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