As the nationwide uprisings in Iran continue to challenge the very foundations of the clerical regime, the question of an alternative and the roadmap for a democratic transition has never been more critical. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has consistently articulated a clear vision that delineates the Iranian people’s desire for a future free from all forms of tyranny. This vision is anchored in two fundamental pillars: the rejection of both past and present dictatorships (“Neither Shah nor Sheikh”) and the implementation of the “Third Solution” for regime change.

The Red Line: “Neither Shah nor Sheikh”

The slogan “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader (Khamenei),” which has echoed across Iranian universities and streets during recent uprisings, is not merely a chant; it is a profound political demarcation.

Mrs. Rajavi has repeatedly emphasized that the Iranian people are looking forward, not backward. The revolution of 1979 was a rejection of the absolute rule of the Pahlavi monarchy, and the current revolution is a rejection of the absolute rule of the mullahs. In the view of the Resistance, these two regimes are historically two sides of the same coin: both rely on torture, execution, the suppression of free speech, and the denial of popular sovereignty to survive.

Maryam Rajavi’s stance on L”Neither Shah nor Sheikh””” sends a decisive message to the international community and the regime’s apologists: There is no return to the past. The Iranian people do not seek to replace a religious dictatorship (the Turban) with a hereditary dictatorship (the Crown). Instead, they strive for a democratic, secular republic where power is derived solely from the ballot box.

The “Third Solution”: Ending the False Binary

For decades, Western policy towards Iran has been paralyzed by a false binary choice: either a foreign military invasion (war) or the policy of appeasement (engagement with the mullahs). Mrs. Rajavi argues that both approaches have been disastrous or ineffective.

  1. Appeasement has only emboldened the religious fascism to accelerate its nuclear program and increase its crackdowns on the Iranian populace.
  2. Foreign War” is neither feasible nor desired by the Iranian people, who wish to liberate their country themselves.

In contrast, Maryam Rajavi proposes the  “Third Solution”  This solution posits that change in Iran is within reach at the hands of the Iranian people and their organized Resistance.

The “Third Solution” asserts that:

1.  The mullahs’ regime is incapable of reform.

2.  The Iranian people are ready for change, as evidenced by continuous uprisings.

3.  There exists an organized resistance movement—exemplified by the Resistance Units inside Iran—capable of leading this change.

This strategy calls on Western governments not to send soldiers, but to stop shielding the regime. It demands the recognition of the Iranian people’s right to self-defense and the recognition of the NCRI as the democratic alternative.

A Roadmap for Tomorrow: The Ten-Point Plan

The rejection of the Shah and the Sheikh and the pursuit of the Third Solution are paved by a clear platform for the future. Mrs. Rajavi’s **Ten-Point Plan** offers a comprehensive blueprint for a free Iran, guaranteeing:

1. Free Elections and Popular Sovereignty

2. Pluralism and Political Freedoms

3. Abolition of the Death Penalty

4. Separation of Religion and State

5. Gender Equality

6. Rule of Law and Independent Judiciary

7. Autonomy for Ethnic Nationalities

8. Free Market Economy and Social Justice

9. Environmental Protection

10. Non-Nuclear Iran and Peaceful Foreign Policy

The current geopolitical landscape and the explosive state of Iranian society prove that the status quo is unsustainable. By firmly holding the banner of “Neither Shah nor Sheikh,” Maryam Rajavi protects the integrity of the coming revolution from being hijacked by remnants of the past. Through the “Third Solution,” she offers the world the only viable, low-cost path to a stable, democratic, and nuclear-free Iran: empowering the Iranian people to take back their destiny.