{
    "title": "Transitioning Mullahs",
    "modified_at": "2026-03-27 21:25:34",
    "published_at": "2026-03-27 21:26:00",
    "url": "https://special-guests.prezly.com/transitioning-mullahs",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/JO9d",
    "culture": "en",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "Iran\u2019s Clerics May be Forced to Use New Identities and Pronouns",
    "slug": "transitioning-mullahs",
    "body": "<p><a href=\"https://specialguests.com/iran-mullahs-facing-mandatory-transition/\">https://specialguests.com/iran-mullahs-facing-mandatory-transition/</a></p><p>One month into the war in Iran, uncertainty dominates the battlefield. The fog of war clouds intelligence, reshapes alliances, and introduces new, unpredictable dynamics by the day. But policymakers in Washington and across Europe cannot afford to be reactive when the shooting stops. Because one question will define what comes next: </p><p> </p><p>Who governs Iran the day after the regime falls?</p><p> </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>NCRI is ready to govern immediately when the regime falls.</span></li></ul><p> </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Maryam Rajavi&rsquo;s 10-point plan is a roadmap for a free Iran.</span></li></ul><p> </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Operatives inside Iran positioned to stabilize and rebuild.</span></li></ul><p> </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Monarchy or old regime cycles are not a solution.</span></li></ul><p> </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>International recognition now prevents post-war chaos.</span></li></ul><p> </p><p>NCRI Speakers Available:</p><p><strong>Robert G. Torricelli: Former U.S. Senator, NCRI Spokesman</strong></p><p><strong>Ambassador Robert Joseph, NCRI Spokesman</strong></p><p><strong>Alireza Jafarzadeh: Deputy Director of NCRI</strong></p><p><strong>Shahin Gobadi: Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile</strong></p><p><strong>Ali Safavi: Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile</strong></p><p><strong>Dr. Kazem Kazerounian: Iranian American Engineer</strong></p><p><strong>Shirin Nariman: Former Political Prisoner in Iran</strong></p><p><strong>Homeira Hesami: Former Political Prisoner in Iran</strong></p><p><strong>**Other Speakers, to include former Political Prisoners in Iran available upon request**</strong></p><p> </p><p>While Western governments debate hypotheticals, the NCRI has spent decades preparing for this exact moment. It has an established political structure, a network inside Iran, and a clear governing framework in Maryam Rajavi&rsquo;s 10-point plan &mdash; a blueprint for a secular republic, free elections, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran. This is not aspirational. It is operational.</p><p> </p><p>Momentum is already building internationally. British parliamentarians are no longer speaking in abstractions &mdash; they are openly calling for recognition of the NCRI as a provisional government and endorsing Rajavi&rsquo;s plan as the foundation for Iran&rsquo;s future. The signal is clear: credible leadership exists, and it is ready.</p><p> </p><p>The alternative is not theoretical &mdash; it is dangerous. Iran&rsquo;s history is littered with failed transitions that replaced one form of tyranny with another. Repackaging the past by elevating the son of a former monarch is not a solution; it is a regression. The monarchy&rsquo;s collapse gave rise to the current theocracy. Recycling that lineage risks repeating the same catastrophic cycle.</p><p> </p><p>Power vacuums do not remain empty. Without a prepared transitional authority, Iran could fracture, inviting internal chaos, regional instability, and opportunistic interference from adversaries. The cost of hesitation will not be measured in headlines, but in blood, instability, and lost opportunity.</p><p> </p><p>The NCRI is not asking whether it is ready. It is demonstrating that it is. With personnel on the ground inside Iran and a leadership structure built for transition, it is positioned to immediately stabilize the country, restore basic governance, and guide Iran toward democratic normalization.</p><p> </p><p>The war&rsquo;s outcome remains uncertain. The aftermath does not have to be.</p><p> </p><p>The time for the United States and its allies to recognize a viable transitional partner is not after the regime collapses &mdash; it is now. Because when Tehran falls, the world will not get a second chance to get Iran right.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Relevant Article(s):</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-resistance/british-parliamentarians-and-activists-urge-recognition-of-ncri-provisional-government/\"><strong>British Parliamentarians and Activists Urge Recognition of NCRI Provisional Government - NCRI</strong></a></p><p> </p><p><strong>OPTIONAL Q&amp;A:</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><ol class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--numbered release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>What is the NCRI&rsquo;s plan for governance immediately after the current regime falls?</span></li><li><span>How does Maryam Rajavi&rsquo;s 10-point plan address Iran&rsquo;s political, social, and economic reconstruction?</span></li><li><span>What presence does the NCRI have inside Iran, and how are its members positioned to help stabilize the country?</span></li><li><span>Why is restoring a monarchy, even a symbolic one, not a viable option for Iran&rsquo;s future?</span></li><li><span>How does the NCRI plan to prevent internal fragmentation or chaos after the fall of the current regime?</span></li><li><span>What role can the international community play in supporting a free and democratic Iran led by the NCRI?</span></li><li><span>How does the NCRI ensure the protection of minority rights, women&rsquo;s rights, and secular governance in post-regime Iran?</span></li><li><span>What lessons from Iran&rsquo;s past failed transitions inform the NCRI&rsquo;s approach to leading a stable government?</span></li></ol><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT ROBERT G. TORRICELLI&hellip;</strong></p><p>Senator Robert Torricelli served 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 9<sup>th</sup> district of New Jersey until January 1997, when he was elected as Democratic Senator from the state of New Jersey. \u200b While in the Congress, he was the leading voice for a free Iran and has been advocate of a free and democratic Iran for the past three decades. </p><p> </p><p>In 1999, he joined the Democratic Leadership as the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. </p><p> </p><p>Senator Torricelli served in the House Foreign Affairs Committee as the chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.</p><p> </p><p>Senator Torricelli earned his law degree from Rutgers University and completed a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University&#039;s John F. Kennedy School of Government.</p><p> </p><p>Before becoming a member of the U.S. Congress, Torricelli served as associate counsel to then-Vice President Walter Mondale. </p><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT AMBASSADOR ROBERT JOSEPH&hellip;</strong></p><p>Ambassador Robert Joseph was the United States Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation. Prior to this post, Joseph was the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, a position he held until January 24, 2007. He was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Proliferation Strategy at the White House.</p><p> </p><p>Ambassador Joseph is known for being instrumental in creating the Proliferation Security Initiative and as the architect of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. He was also the US chief negotiator to Libya in 2003 who convinced Qaddafi to give up Libya&rsquo;s WMD programs.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>ABOUT ALIREZA JAFARZADEH&hellip;</strong></p><p>Alireza Jafarzadeh serves as the Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). He is also the author of <em>The Iran Threat</em> (Palgrave MacMillan, New York, 2008).</p><p> </p><p>A recognized expert on Iranian policy, Jafarzadeh has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. His groundbreaking work in 2002 and 2003 led to the discovery of key illicit nuclear sites in Iran, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the Arak heavy water plant, the Kalaye Electric centrifuge testing facility near Tehran, and the Lashkar Ab&rsquo;ad laser enrichment facility. These revelations prompted the first-ever inspections of Iranian nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).</p><p> </p><p>Jafarzadeh is a frequent guest on major television and radio networks, including CBS Evening News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and France 24. His insights have also been featured in leading publications such as <em>The New York Times</em>, <em>The Washington Post</em>, <em>The Wall Street Journal</em>, <em>Los Angeles Times</em>, <em>USA Today</em>, <em>Time</em>, and <em>The Hill</em>.</p><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT SHAHIN GOBADI&hellip;</strong></p><p>Shahin Gobadi, a U.S.-educated nuclear engineer, is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran&rsquo;s Parliament-in-Exile.</p><p>An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy toward Iran, and internal Iranian affairs.</p><p> </p><p>He has been interviewed by major international media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, BBC, Sky TV, GB News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Gobadi&rsquo;s writings have appeared in prominent media across the U.S. and Europe.</p><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT ALI SAFAVI&hellip;</strong></p><p>Ali Safavi is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran&rsquo;s Parliament-in-Exile.</p><p> </p><p>A sociologist by training, Safavi studied and taught at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan. He was an active participant in the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s in the United States and has been deeply engaged in Iranian affairs ever since.</p><p>Safavi has lectured and written extensively on Iran, Iraq, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. He has appeared in interviews on networks such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, Sky TV, Newsmax, and France 24. His articles and commentary have been published in leading outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Boston Herald, The Washington Times, and The Financial Times.</p><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT DR. KAZEM KAZEROUNIAN&hellip;</strong></p><p>Dr. Kazem Kazerounian is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut and served as Dean of the College of Engineering from 2012 to 2024. </p><p> </p><p>A passionate advocate for democracy and human rights, Dr. Kazerounian is also an expert on Iran and the Middle East, particularly regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, and human rights situation in Iran. \u200b He has contributed widely through scholarly articles, invited talks, and media interviews on regional affairs and the democratic movement in Iran.</p><p> </p><p>Nationally, he has held leadership roles with ASEE and ASME, shaping engineering policy and education. His honors include the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Award, AIMBE Fellowship, and induction into the Connecticut Academy of Science &amp; Engineering.</p><p> </p><p>An ASME Fellow, his research spans kinematics, robotics, and biomechanics. He has authored over 160 scholarly works and co-founded AcademicKeys.com and AcademicJournal.com, a professional platform and an online journal for academics.</p><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT SHIRIN NARIMAN&hellip; </strong></p><p>Shirin Nariman is a former political prisoner from Iran, human rights advocate, and entrepreneur. </p><p> </p><p>At just 15 years old, during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she became involved in pro-democracy activities and supported the People&rsquo;s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Less than two years later, she was arrested for her activism&mdash;becoming one of the youngest political prisoners of her time and enduring severe torture in Evin Prison. Her case drew international attention and intervention from the Red Cross.</p><p> </p><p>During her imprisonment, Shirin witnessed the regime&rsquo;s brutality firsthand, including the executions of children, elderly women, and pregnant prisoners. After her release, she eventually sought refuge in the United States, where she has dedicated her life to advocating for human rights, women&rsquo;s rights, and a free, democratic, non-nuclear Iran.</p><p>Shirin holds a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in management information systems and has worked with leading wireless and financial corporations. </p><p> </p><p><strong>ABOUT HOMEIRA HESAMI&hellip;</strong></p><p>Homeira Hesami was born in 1966 in Iran. At age 16, she graduated from high school with honors but was denied acceptance to Iranian universities due to her political beliefs and activism. Her activism forced her to spend a significant period of time in prison in Iran as a teenager. She was eventually able to immigrate to the United States, where she pursued her education further, obtaining both her Master&rsquo;s from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She has remained active in the political scene to help establish a free, democratic, secular, and non-nuclear Iran. Homeira was a member of the Iranian American Women&rsquo;s Delegation that attended the World Conferences on Women in Beijing in 1995. She has spoken at the University of Virginia to educate students about the current plight of women in Iran. She has also spoken at The National Convention of Iranian Americans in Washington, D.C., as well as the Texas Convention of Iranian Leaders in Houston, TX. She is married with two children, and working as a medical physicist in Irving, Texas.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"> </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"> </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW, CALL OR TEXT 512-966-0983 OR EMAIL </strong><a href=\"mailto:BOOKINGS@SPECIALGUESTS.COM\"><strong>BOOKINGS@SPECIALGUESTS.COM</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong> </strong></p><p>CONTACT:</p><p>Jerry McGlothlin</p><p>Special Guests Publicity</p><p><a href=\"mailto:bookings@specialguests.com\">bookings@specialguests.com</a> </p><p>919-437-0001</p><p> </p><p><strong>This material is distributed by Special Guests Publicity LLC on behalf of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) / Media Strategy Consulting LTD. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.</strong></p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n    >\n        <a class=\"release-content-image__link\"\n           id=\"image-8272aef3-903b-430f-bc7d-c23078a2130c\"\n           href=\"https://specialguests.com/guests-topics/\"\n           data-id=\"8272aef3-903b-430f-bc7d-c23078a2130c\"\n           data-track=\"Story Image View\"\n           data-placement=\"content\"\n                            target=\"_blank\"\n                rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n                       style=\"width: 13.89%\"\n        >\n            <img\n                class=\"release-content-image__image\"\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/8272aef3-903b-430f-bc7d-c23078a2130c/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"\"\n                            >\n        </a>\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>",
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