By Amr Gohar
Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), announced Saturday that what she described as the “death of religious despotism” marks the beginning of a transition toward a democratic republic in Iran.
In a message issued on February 28, 2026, Rajavi said that the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei represents “the end of the Velayat-e Faqih regime” and called for the establishment of freedom and popular sovereignty in Iran.
Provisional Government Announced
Rajavi stated that, based on the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan, the coalition has declared the formation of a provisional government aimed at transferring sovereignty to the Iranian people. She noted that the precedent for such an announcement dates back to October 1981.
According to the statement, the provisional government would oversee a transitional period culminating in free and fair elections within six months for a National Legislative and Constituent Assembly. The assembly would be tasked with drafting a new constitution, determining the structure of a republican system, and supervising the formation of a permanent government under the new constitutional framework.
Call for Unity and Non-Intervention
Rajavi emphasized that “only the people of Iran have the legitimacy to determine their country’s political future,” reiterating the opposition’s longstanding position that it does not seek foreign military intervention or financial assistance.
She called for national unity among political forces committed to establishing a democratic republic based on the separation of religion and state. The statement urged members of the Iranian armed forces, including the Revolutionary Guard, to lay down their arms and align with the people.
Rajavi also appealed to students, workers, oil sector employees, farmers, entrepreneurs, nurses, teachers, and other civic groups to safeguard public safety and services during the transition period.
A Democratic Republic as the Stated Goal
The NCRI, which describes itself as a broad democratic coalition opposing the Islamic Republic, said its ultimate objective is not to assume permanent power but to ensure the transfer of authority to the Iranian people through a democratic process.
Concluding her message, Rajavi hailed what she called the “democratic revolution of Iran” and reaffirmed the coalition’s commitment to establishing a democratic republic grounded in popular sovereignty.
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