In Atlanta, conversations about Iran rarely begin with politics — they begin with family.
A missed phone call from Tehran, a late-night message asking if someone is safe or the quiet relief when a loved one finally responds.
For Iranian American families across Georgia, the struggle for freedom in Iran is not a distant geopolitical issue — it is a deeply personal reality that shapes daily life and strengthens our connection to the universal values of dignity, justice and democratic change.
A recent speech by Maryam Rajavi, a leading figure of Iran’s organized opposition, offered a perspective that deserves closer attention.
Speaking about ongoing protests and decades of resistance, she emphasized that the Iranian people’s struggle is not simply against one political system but against dictatorship in all its forms — both monarchical and religious.
Today, one reality stands out: The Iranian people are demanding freedom, accountability and democratic change. This message reflects what has increasingly been visible in Iran’s streets.
Change is Iran is driven by ordinary citizens
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Demonstrators have repeatedly rejected authoritarian alternatives, calling instead for democracy, self-determination and equal rights. For Iranian Americans in Atlanta, these voices resonate deeply because they echo the civil rights principles that define this city’s history.
Rajavi highlighted the role of grassroots resistance networks, often referred to as Resistance Units, arguing that change in Iran is being driven from within by ordinary citizens rather than imposed from outside.
Her remarks underscore a critical point: The momentum for change originates with the Iranian people themselves.
Importantly, the people of Iran were not asking for foreign military intervention. They seek recognition of their right to determine their own future and to resist repression. The Iranian people believe the role of the international community should be to apply principled political pressure while recognizing their agency and right to self-determination.
Struggle for freedom is not contained to one generation
Historical memory remains central to this moment. The mass executions of political prisoners in 1988 — documented by Amnesty International as crimes against humanity — continue to shape fears today.
A United Kingdom Parliament early day motion has referenced estimates that up to 30,000 political prisoners were killed during that massacre. More recently, media reports have described sweeping crackdowns in which more than 50,000 individuals were reportedly detained, raising serious concerns that many political prisoners’ lives may now be at risk.
Designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization was a significant step, but it is not enough.
The Iranian people believe that the Ministry of Intelligence and Security of Iran — an institution widely associated with surveillance, repression and political persecution — should also be placed on international terrorist designation lists. Such action would signal that institutions responsible for systematic repression must be held accountable.
Rajavi’s speech also presented a vision for a future Iran built on democratic principles: separation of religion and state, gender equality, equal rights for ethnic communities and a nonnuclear republic living in peace with the world.
Atlanta’s history teaches us that the struggle for freedom is never confined to one place or one generation.
Rajavi’s message reminds us that the future of Iran will ultimately be decided by its people — and that supporting democratic aspirations begins by listening to the voices already calling for change.
Batool Zamani is president of Iranian American Community of Georgia.
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