In a passionate and stirring speech at the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) conference, former Colombian Senator Ingrid Betancourt declared, “Love will free Iran.” On the eve of International Women’s Day, she emphasized that a free Iran, led by women, would not only transform the nation but also influence the world.
Speaking to an audience of activists, politicians, and human rights defenders, Betancourt highlighted the systematic oppression of women under both the Shah’s monarchy and the current clerical rule. “Two tyrannies working against women,” she remarked, pointing out the irony of how Iranian women were once punished for wearing the headscarf under the Shah and are now punished for refusing it under the Ayatollahs.
Betancourt praised the leadership of Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the NCRI, calling her a beacon of female empowerment. She described how the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) has fostered an environment where women lead at all levels, not in competition with men, but in unity. “Here, women are not seen as a second-best choice. They are at the core of leadership.”
She reflected on her long-standing relationship with Rajavi and the PMOI, recalling an eye-opening conversation about the use of headscarves during the Shah’s rule. Rajavi explained that wearing the scarf had been an act of defiance against a dictatorship that sought to control women’s choices. Decades later, the brutal death of Mahsa Amini for not wearing a scarf underscored how different regimes continue to dictate women’s lives.
Addressing the broader political landscape, Betancourt dismissed the idea that Iran’s opposition is fragmented. She criticized monarchist factions that, she argued, serve only to divide the movement for democracy. “The Shah’s supporters and the Ayatollahs are two sides of the same coin,” she asserted.
Instead, she emphasized the unity of the Iranian resistance around Rajavi’s ten-point plan, which advocates for democracy, gender equality, and human rights. “This is not just about Iran; this is about the world. The day we see a free Iran, led by women, the world will change.”
Join us for the International Conference marking #IWD2025! Stand with #WomenForce4Change and support a #FreeIran2025. https://t.co/pVJ7RnM6PY
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 22, 2025
Closing her speech, Betancourt underscored the need for women to rise together and lead with compassion, organization, and vision. She pointed to the operational excellence of the PMOI as proof of what women can achieve when given leadership roles.
“Women make things happen. They coordinate, they organize, and they lead with empathy. And that is why love will free Iran.”
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu
