Season 8 Episode #26 Human Rights, Courage, and the Fight for Freedom in Iran with Zolal Habibi

In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Iranian human rights activist Zolal Habibi.

With over 25 years of advocacy, Zolal has dedicated her life to raising awareness about political prisoners, women’s rights, and the ongoing fight for freedom in Iran.

Together, they explore:

• The realities facing human rights activists
• The role of women in Iran’s resistance movements
• Why global awareness matters
• How education and storytelling can inspire change

This episode offers a powerful reminder that the struggle for human dignity transcends borders—and that awareness is the first step toward solidarity.

Zolal Habibi's Website

National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI):

https://www.ncr-iran.org/

Maryam Rajavi – 4 Change:

https://maryamrajavi4change.com/

Iran Freedom:

https://iranfreedom.org/

Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC):

https://oiac.org/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello and welcome back to the Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast, the show where we explore culture, identity, education, and global perspectives that help us become more thoughtful and inclusive human beings. I'm your host, Jebah Edmonds, educator, cultural consultant, and the creator behind Cultural Curriculum Resources for Educators and Organizations. Today's conversation is powerful and deeply important. We're joined today by Zalah Habibi, an Iranian human rights activist who spent over 25 years advocating for political prisoners, women, and freedom seekers inside Iran. Her work shines a light on the courage of people who continue to fight for justice, equality, and human dignity in extremely difficult circumstances. We're going to talk about topics of human rights activism, why global awareness matters, the resilience of Iranian women and political prisoners, and what the world needs to understand about the fight for freedom. Salal, welcome to the show. It's such an honor to have you here with us today.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

It's a pleasure to be with you. Thank you for the opportunity. And please allow me to greet those who are tuning in to the podcast today. It's a pleasure to be able to be here and speak with you.

SPEAKER_00 1:25

Oh, thank you, my dear. You have spent over 25 years advocating for human rights and political prisoners. Can you share what first inspired you to dedicate your life to this work?

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Father, I think human rights in your has been intertwined with my life from the onset. I um got introduced to the human rights situation in Iran very early on because my father was a writer and a human rights activist. And so I became acquainted with the situation from you know a very, very young age. Probably what I can remember myself is like when I was four or five, um, and meeting people who were like victims of torture or who had escaped prison and whatnot. So um, and from when I hear from others, uh, I mean, the first time I went to the demonstration was when I was three days old. So, I mean, the whole process has been um uh it has always been part and parcel of my life. Um, but the turning point for me was in the summer of 1999, when the student uprising broke out in Iran. And at that point, there had been complete, practically complete silence in Iran society for about 11 years since the 1988 massacre had taken place. And it was people from our generation who were coming to the state, uh, who were taking, you know, the step forward to try to change the situation in Iran. And um, I remember it was also the first time that we were actually seeing the things live, because it was the start of cable television and whatnot, and so it was being reported. And I remember seeing those things, like the scenes of you know, university students being thrown over, you know, buildings and whatnot. And I and I kept thinking to myself, am I just going to be a bystander and watch and just, you know, um, or am I going to be one of those who helps create that change um so people can finally live in freedom and in peace instead of democracy in Iran? And so that was the turning point for me. Uh, I had just graduated from high school and uh I was on my way to go and study medicine. Um but I decided to join the resistance uh because I had ran into an article actually the summer before, and in it that there were at that time about 20,000 Iranian doctors or Iranian American doctors in the US. And I thought to myself, are you gonna be one of those 20,000? Or are you gonna be one of those who freed Iran so these 20,000 could actually go and serve their own people? And so that is that was like the turning point for me. Um yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

It's just how brave and courageous. And I love how you said that, like, yes, I want to go into medicine, but I also want to get that resistance so those 20,000 can serve their own people, you know, back home. Oh, that is so powerful. So, for listeners who may not be familiar, can you help us understand the current human rights situation in Iran and what we should know?

SPEAKER_02 4:53

Well, um, the reality is that unfortunately for the last 47 years, Iran has been uh ruled by a brutal dictatorship. Um executed just for their political views in Libby. Um, and you know, uh this is this continuous. Just in 2025, over 2, um 200 people were executed in Iran. And just right now, in the past um, you know, in the month the matter of like two months or so, um, over 600 people have been executed in Iran. This is aside from those who were killed on the street. This is aside from the thousands of thousands who were killed in the uprising in January in Iran. And so Iran is the number one um country in executions per capita, unfortunately. And this has been the case continuously, not unfortunately, not only in the past four or five decades that this regime has been ruined, but also before that. Um I actually ran into a re report from NRC International from 1976, and it said at that time Iran was the number one country in execution. And unfortunately, today Iran is the number one country in execution. And so um, unfortunately, the people of Iran have been fighting against, you know, brutal dictatorships, be it, as people say in Iran, turbans or crowned. Um, but you know, they've been in this fight for freedom. And so right now it has reached a point where there isn't a single area or a single subject that you could put your finger on in Iran that hasn't been completely destroyed by the regime from the environment, from you know, the economy, from every aspect of social life that you look at, it's a disaster. And so the longer around really wants to be able to move forward and to you know have this regime overthrown in its entirety. Um, this regime has shown over the decades that it's not reformable. As we say, a viper never gives birth to a dove. And that has been proven in the system. Our movement has been saying um for actually over three decades now. Um first said that a viper never gives birth to a dog when Kotami was brought into power, and that was in 1996. So then we're in the 20s. And so um, I think that what is very interesting for me is the things that, you know, issues and principles and that you know that we have uh stated over the years, one by one, the world is saying that you know it was true, but unfortunately, it was not listened to in time, and so that is why we are in the place that we are. Um, I think the reality is that um after the uprising in January, which started December 28, 2025, the world um, I think saw the middle and the Iranian people that they want to be able to see that change. And they understand that no one goes ahead of freedom and silver pattern. They're willing to change that price themselves. Um, the people of Iran uh what was very interesting was you know these youth who were taking part in the protest. A lot of them they said their final farewell before going to a lot of them you know did like video clips or audiophiles or whatever. They left it for their families just in case um they never returned. So their families have that final um message. And so they understood the risk, but they still came to the street because they have experienced this in the last you know, four decades. They they're seeing the country that you know, change is not going to come about if we each are trying to just protect ourselves. We need to think we need to think of our history, we need to think of the future and to be able to make that sacrifice. And you know, uh as I said, 120,000 people have made that sacrifice in Iran, but the fight still continues. And um, I think that today the Gen Z of Iran has made that decision that, you know, um we can't continue this cycle anymore. In the last 10 years, in the last decade, we have had four major uprisings in Iran. Um, and each time we see it evolve, you know, step by step. But each time it is also met with brutal force. And unfortunately, uh the regime, you know, has um hundreds or thousands of people killed on the street, and that way it is able to create like this wave of suppression to be able to keep people in their homes and to buy time for itself. And so the next spark, uh, because the regime knows it, but the power powder ted, um, people need to that spark to be able to stand against the regime. And so um it is trying to do all it can to extend its lifeline, but unfortunately it has come at a great price for the people of Iran. And the reality is that today it's not only the regime that has led us to where we are today, it's also been you know the policy for the thing we should probably use. I mean, there's been politics that we've been toward this regime for over four decades now, and unfortunately, the people who have been used as the bargaining chip at the table are the Iranian people and the resistance specifically. And um so you know, uh it has come with a great threat, but unfortunately, we know from history, and we've even looked at World War II, um paying rent leads to a war. And this is something that we've been trying to warn about for two decades. Um, over I think it's 22 years now, um, 20, over 21 years ago, um, I think it was in December 2005, Mrs. Van Javi spoke at the European Parliament that she is the president elect of the Iranian resistance for the interim government after the fall of the regime. She stated there that um the solution was neither war nor appeasement. But if you don't stop the positive appeasement, it will lead to a war. Um and she stated there's a third option, and that third option is supporting the people of Iran and their organized resistance to bring about change. Because most of them have to understand like the history of Iran. Iran is not Iraq or Afghanistan or Libya or any other country, Syria, or whatnot. Iran um had the history, if you look in the last century, we have had um three dictators, and each one has been installed in her country.

SPEAKER_00 12:01

Yes, yes. Yes, for three dictators, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:07

And that's not a road that we want to go down again. Um, so Red Al Khan, he was brought in by the British while he wasn't serving their persons anymore. He was taken into exile and his son was brought in, Mamma Gazasha. And uh he he wasn't very strong at the beginning of it. Um, and since his father had been remote, he knew that he had to be you know in line. Um, the people of Iran had the 1906 constitutional revolutions, so they were trying to use that, I guess, time to be able to create that at least constitutional um you know monarchy to be able to have some kind of checks and balances or Iran. And so the you know, the parliament still elected Dr. Wasadet um as the prime minister. And that only mastered for two years because um Dr. Musadeth he nationalized Iran's oil, which was something that the West did not want. And so there was a coup d'etat carried out against him by the CIA and MIT. And unfortunately, um, the only democratic government that Iran has had in the last century were you know taken out um through that coup d'etat, and Bahrain Tahari was reinstated. And after that, he ruled with the iron fist with the Salah, um, which is known for his, you know, how notorious it was and torture and excuses and whatnot, suppression. And he had one party's rule, and he said, Well, you know, um we only have the Raf Ducky's party. If you don't like it, either leave the country or you're going to be arrested, and that would help you. And so that eventually led to the 1979 revolution, which the people of Iran revolted um against, you know, um the dictatorship, and they were able to put an end to monarchy in Iran. Um, but unfortunately, their revolution was hijacked. Why? Because it was the Cold War era. Um at the time, first of all, the Shah had slacked down on all of the you know uh progressive movements in Iran. So their leaders were all in prison or had been executed, but they were the ones that actually created this revolution. Um, and then the the group that had open hands in Iran were the Mullahs because the Shah needed their Dahi to just decline. Other mosques in Iran had gone from 500 to 5,000 during Muhammad, Tanzari's time. So in 37 years, that he's always so that was you know, that network was intact. On the other hand, a Khomeini was taken, he was an exile in Iraq at the time, in Naja. He was brought to Paris and he was in press for about six months, and there there were negotiations held with him, and he made, you know, a full bunch of empty promises to the international community, um, or to the Western country more. Um, and they figured, well, he's among the might he has fundamentalist views, but at the end of the day, it's probably not going to become an ally of the USSR, while the progressive movements, they they're against you know foreign intervention in their country and the you know uh the fact that imperialism, everything it has had, so they figured it's the safer bet to go with common. And the people of Iran have been suffering from that for 47 years now. So today the people of Iran want to take their destiny to their own hands. They they think, look, we have the capability and the potential to bring about that change to allow us to do that. Um, unfortunately, due to the positive pace then, that has um not been possible. Um, there any form of resistance that's been labeled as terrorism and whatnot, because that was what the regime asked you know, the Western governments to do. And they did, um, unfortunately, some for economic ties, some because of Iran's threat, because Iran, unfortunately, the number one stakes possible is natural terrorism. Um, but unfortunately, this has had a great toll on the people of Iran. And um, you know, today, unfortunately, we are in the situation that we are. But as I said, in advisor, we have said from over 20 years ago, there's a third option. We're not just between the three, the third option is supporting the people of Iran and their organized resistance to bring about change. Um, we're not asking not asking for treats on the ground, we're not asking for any of that. We're just asking you to recognize the people's rights to resist and fight back against that and just be hold the regime accountable. That's giving you a for it to continue. I mean, right now the reality is that the regime uses you know the highest technology um for suppression. Where are they getting somebody from apart from the Western government? So that is something that um could have been prevented. Um right now, a lot of people are also asking today as we are speaking. Um I hope that by the time this is aired, the war is over. Um the war. And you know, uh it is I mean, you can imagine. I mean, war had consequences. Um it's a catastrophe when it comes to you know, the infrastructure that had been destroyed, civilian time um that had been taken and whatnot. And so um again, I we're not I mean, in general speaking, we've always said, you know, if you understand Iran, you understand that, you know, certain scenarios just don't work in Iran. Like for instance, scenario like Venezuela. It doesn't work anymore. Why? Because even if you take out how many, the apparatus is still intact. That system is still there.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

The system is still there, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:21

I mean, classical dictatorship that is like with the one Van Goon, yes, he was the supreme leader, but he had like a whole infrastructure, you know, a whole system intact. Um, and that is what we're seeing. I mean, today they changed the Dakar comedy, but the regime is still operating. Um on the other hand, Iran is about three times the size of Iraq and four times the population. Um, the terrain in Iran is very different. We have mountains, um, we have uh the desert, we have, you know, forests, the you know, um the sea and everything. Um, but we also have like very, you know, I mean, especially when you look at Tehran, which is the capital in that area, very populated cities. So um I mean the scenario of troops on the ground just doesn't work. Like, where are you gonna get these troops on the ground? And so that's not a likely scenario.

SPEAKER_00 19:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

And at the end of the day, democracy is never installed in the country. It has to come from the people. And they have to be forced to change. The reality is that after the uprising in January, um, the regime had, I mean, with the massive that it created after that they had like uh martial law throughout Iran to make sure that people don't come to the space again. Um, but people turned every opportunity to divorce their descent and to continue. There we just we saw um the ceremonies being held for the you know memorial services that they were holding for those bad being killed in in our in Iranian culture, we have this thing that on the 40th day of Salah's passing, they full like a memorial service. And that was um actually like the week of the final week of February was that 40th of a lot of kids' people february. So we were seeing those ceremonies throughout Iran, and even though the families were in pain, but they weren't, you know, uh mourning or they they weren't uh dwelling in their sorrows, I guess they can say they they are mourning, but um, they weren't showing it. Um they were actually training those ceremonies to service memorial services where they were honoring their children, they were celebrating the lives of their loved ones, and they were making pledge with them to continue the fight. That's we're not going lives to be lost in vain. We're going to continue still the overthrow of the regime. So that brings together the regime because they had, I mean, they were standing in those sites as trying to control people, but the fact that people were still standing in the fight, even though you were armed and they're just with their hands, it's it's that's a great deal. Um that actually on um February 22nd, um after you know about 50 days, universities in Iran resumed because during this whole time it was online um to make sure that they can um that so no one is in campus because they had actually shut down the campus because they understood that the students were one of the strongholds of the uprising.

SPEAKER_00 21:57

The goal, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:59

Once Classes resumed on campus, on site. That first day, protests started in universities across Iran. And it continued for you know till Thursday that week. And that's when the regime was like, you know what? All classes will be online till the end of um the Persian New Year, which is because this Friday, um, March 20th is the spring equivalent, max Persian New Year. And then there's a two-week um uh I guess spring break type thing. Yeah, afterwards, it'll be in mid-April when schools re you know, resume. So then we're not going to have anyone on campuses anymore because they're they're afraid of you know the reaction. And um what was really interesting though is that um about five days before the start of the war, so on February 23rd, simultaneous with the protests of the student, resistance units in Iran carried out the operation against the headquarters of Phamini. Um, this was armed resistance. Um, but a group of 250 members of this year carried out operation against targeting Khomini headquarters specifically. And that had a method, both for the regime and for the people of Iran. Um, so just to give you some background, the resistance units are um a strategy that they resistance have set forth for over a decade now. Um they believe that it's really important to have people, you know, organized networks inside of Iran on the ground, underground. Um, but there's you know small groups of people, some are like two, three, some are up to 20 in one are unit, but um they're able, they're local, they know their city, they know their name because they know everyone. So they have a different understanding of you know everything, and they can, you know, um act when it's needed. And what they have been doing in the past few years is first of all, they're the ones who have kept the flame of resistance you know alive. Anyone, yes. And um, they have been a source of hope because with their activities like um in one year they carried out like 39,000 activities in one year. So just imagine, you know, at a time that the regime is trying to spread so much you know fear in society, but everywhere you go, you run into like, I don't know, a slogan, a poster, something that tells you, you know, continue. Um it's uh it raises awareness, it gives people hope, and it also shows them you know how how you're supposed to resist in face of and I think that that's really important. And the and what we're saying is the fact that we saw it um grow um practically double annually, and um, like versus it's the same year that they carried out 39,000 activities, they also targeted about 3,000 centers of uh oppression. So that that is why everyone said, like this time around in the uprising, um, one of the things that everyone touched on was first of all, you could see COVID, people die. The second is that you saw people they felt like people are like we felt like we knew what we were supposed to do when we came to the street. And that is, you know, unconsciously, when we see all of these activities throughout the year and continuously, you know, it just um when that you know uh urgency comes up, you have that you know, in this really helps. And also that the people's own offensive, they were a lot of people touched on the fact that you could see an um element of organizational structure in the protest this time around. People were protecting one another, and people were uh helping up, they were disarming their suppressive forces and you know protecting the people. So I think all of that was the role of you know, the resistance unit. And I think that that really put us in a different um you know that their this operation had was first of all the resistance continues. Secondly, this is the new norm that we're gonna speak, you know, operating targeting specific locations. It's not they're not targeting civilians, they're not targeting general areas. It's you know targeted of specific areas. And um on the other hand, the message that it had was, you know, um the regime is in a much weaker state than it tries to possess itself because uh, you know, um the regime tried to say they're very strong, but this was the most secure location in all of Iran, and at a time that they were on heightened security because they feared that a war would break out any day now. And despite that, they were able to carry out the operation. So um that really I think um had a message for people inside of Iran and gave them a lot of hope that despite all of this suppression, we are going to you know stand again and we're going to continue. Um, but also I think that for the regime, um, it was fine that you know, even with all the killings and everything, we were not able to um suppress the up.

SPEAKER_00 28:08

Yeah, and like you said, you have to be strategic in that resistance, you know, to pinpoint the exact groups of people in that system to make it fall. Wow. Wow. I've learned so much the long and I like how you even talked about the um, because that perspective of Iran, you know, in the 70s and everything was good, you know, but you're I love how you shared with your lived experience and and and the article saying that there were still mass executions even at that time. And like you said, the crown versus the turban, like there was still a lot of human suppression going on, you know, and and that in our Western media, thinking, oh, well, it just happened when Al Khamini came into power, but that is not the case. So thank you for opening my eyes to learning that as well, um, because there is that Western media of saying, oh, it only happened, you know, 47 years ago, but you're saying no, decades, centuries before that, there was still a stronghold, you know, with those dictatorships, just different, you know, different crown or the turban or yeah, different uh groups coming in. Let's talk about the women, because you know as well as I do, women have always been the center of resistance, they have been the matrilineal line to say, nope, we need to have a collective. We can't just do this as an individual. You know, we need to move. Um, what role are women playing right now in that resistance today, like you were saying?

SPEAKER_02 29:49

Well, um, this is a very interesting part of the history of our resistance because um we believe that women are the force for change. So um that is something that we uh we take pride in, and it is something that we can see throughout the rank of this movement. Um since 19 readings, actually, uh the Iranian resistance, they used to do like an annual uh analysis of you know what is going on, where do we stand, you know, everything. And they realized that you know, women are paying a great price to be active in resistance because the norms of society, I mean, um, I think more people are like willing to have their son being active in a resistance of their daughters, I mean, just like the norms of society. And but on the other hand, we are up against a misogynist regime that targets women much more severely. And the fact that when they see women like defying them, it just makes them like you know, it creates hysteria for them. And so they're more um, you know, suppressive and also more brutal when it comes to women. So women in prisons were facing much more torture, like in method and the severity of it. Um, they were still the ones who are showing the most resistance in prison and even in execution. I mean, in Iran, over 30,000 women have been executed for political defense. Um but they weren't being represented in the highest ranks of the movement. And so the minute the movement realized that as a progressive you know movement, they're like, we can't have that. And so they just changed the entire system of our movement. And so Mrs. Debbie has actually led this change for 41 years. Um actually 41 years. And she has um what was important was she was made, she was chosen to be the co-leader of the movement, but she didn't stop there because she's like, I'm not there exceptions to the rule. This is systematic. Women um in this movement, they have so much potential to be so much more. Um, especially it's like the spring. The more pressure you put on the spring, when you take that pressure off, the more potential it has to jump. And you know, she has taken one by one the hands of like women um generation after generation and has created like a whole you know line of capable female leaders in all fields and all arenas. And this has been continuous for, as I said, um like seriously uh in the past three decades, but for four decades now. And um, the reality is like, for instance, the NEK, which were the main Iranian opposition group, um, the entire leadership council of the NEK have been women since 1993 till today. All the Secretary Generals of this movement have been women since 1989 till today. And um, so that in the ranks of the NEK. In the National Council of Resistance of Iran, about 52 percent of the National Council of Resistance of Iran are women. National Council of Resistance of Iran served as the parliament in exile with about 500 members, and um, as I said, 52% are women, and many of the chairs of the 52 of the 25 committees that the NCRI have are women, and um, the president-elect of the NCRI for the interim government after the fall of this regime is the woman, and so um that stands 180 degrees opposed to the cogenous regime that's really Ugand. And we um to be honest, as someone who grew up saying that, I mean in 1993 when her leadership council was announced that it's uniforms of all women, I was taught. And that was the reality that I grew up with, that women are capable to do anything and everything in all realms. It's not even like only big sector or that from from in politics to you know social issues to military. It doesn't make a difference. Women are, you know, um, those people can lead. And so I grew up, I realized at one point when I was in high school that, you know, I don't have a lot of the glass naming that girls in my, you know, my friends or around me have, because I grew up with this reality and they were faced with a different reality. Um, and so I remember back in 1996 when it was the Beijing um conference, what was conference? Um uh the motto that year after the speech by Hillary Clinton, she was first lady at the time, is that you know, women's rights are human rights, and human rights are women's rights, and that was supposed to be a you know very progressive view and like pioneering idea. I remember back then hearing it, and I was like, what's it? I mean, you know, that freaking given, why are we on the separate? I didn't understand that, you know, 30 years later the world had yet to reach out.

SPEAKER_00 35:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 35:43

At that point, I was growing up with this reality that women are in leadership and women are the force for change. And you know, um that was um what I grew up seeing, and I had first great role models in front of me that they they taught me that you know um you have so much potential to drive and become, you know, um accomplish anything. What's important is just making that decision and paying the price for that decision step by step. And it's not something that happens overnight, it's not going to be something, it's step by step, you have to pay that price, but you will be able to reach that. And I think um that in effect had a great um effect in in Iran, despite the censorship, despite the thought of despite all of the disinformation and disinformation propaganda have things that the regime has launched for decades against this movement. But even through, I guess, the you know, those um every means, I mean, even through the crack everywhere, this message was being beamed to Iran. That you know, women have this potential, and you, the women of Iran, are the force who's going to overthrow this regime. Um, this is something that Ms. Radan said back in 1996 in a speech in um in London. And towards Palmini, she said, you are going to be overthrown by the same force that you take for granted because you can't even see them, but that is the brave woman of Iran. And I think in 2022, the world stall exhibit after the um crisis that broke out after the death of um Mahto Juna Anini in Iran. And a lot of people were taken by storm. Oh my god, look at the bravery of the Iranian woman, but for us, it wasn't something here because we're like, but um, that is also something that we are continuing to be because we truly do believe that women are that force of change and they are the ones who will be um craving that change. And I think that um, you know, uh it's really important. I think this is one of the I guess the method test for a democracy is where does it stand on the issue of women and equality? I think for instance right now, um when the issue of Iran is being put on the table, a lot of more like what is the solution? What comes next? Well, I think when I go question, you know, how can we judge the different groups or you know, alternatives that are being presented and being some of them aren't you know just being propped up? Well, where should they stand on the issue of voice? How do we um do they still believe in like a hereditary respect? And that's these voice for itself, or do they specifically believe in you know equality and um actually um to have equity to be able to reach that equality final? And this is something that has been outlined, I think, in the 10-foot plan in Bajavi, is calls for gender equality and um you know the prediscipline and leadership in Iran. Um there is the the NTRI has a 12-foot plan for the rights of women in the future of Iran. And this is something that I think what's really important for people every but this isn't just word or in writing, because there are a lot of people who have you know wishing political campaigns, right, for election. They make a lot of things and they may do something else. But that's something that people have been seeing in the making on the ground for three decades. So that is something that they can put their trust in. Um, because it's not like I I know that especially that's the younger generation of like the supporters of the resistance, they are seeing nothing but this. And so they're like, hasn't it always been like that? And I'm like, no, I haven't always been like this, but to them, that's the reality that they grew up with, and so um I think that that's really important and that that's the ground. Um the just to explain a bit, there's a template plan and that means that we have stepped forward further um transition period in Iran. And that has actually served like as a guideline for like what will come and what we need to you know watch out for, I guess. Um many lawmakers have supported it. Um, the majority of the US Congress have supported this temporary plan for many years now, but um, over 4,000 lawmakers around the world, um, over 130 former heads of states, um, over 100 Nobel laureates have endorsed and supported this template plan. Many have called it Jeffersonian because that's it covers like those basics and makes sure like even though it's covering the basics, it also um presents like the you know a very bright feature. Um, it calls for you know separation of religion and state, it calls for gender equality. That you know, the final criterion is ballot bomb. Um, it calls for independent judiciary, it calls for the you know, for all of these suppressive organs from the IRGC to the MOIS and all of it to be uh disband. It also calls for the abolition of the death penalty and all forms of torture in Iran. Um, it calls for a non-nuclear that will be in peace with the region, which is hopefully a force of you know, um stability is the destabilizing force in the region. Um it calls for you know recognizing the rights of Iran's ethnicity, um, the Thawaniya, Kurdistan, whatnot. And so um I think that the free market economy, all of it, when you look at it, it's a very col even though it's tense points, but it's very complete.

SPEAKER_00 42:12

You want and yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:14

Um, so we hope that that um will be able to allow us to move in in the 21st century to a secular democratic republic in Iran. That is like the message from people inside Iran. They're like, you know what? We're not the same way that we said there's a third option when it comes to it's more, it's neither war nor keep when there's a third option. There's also another third option, and it's we're not stuck between the current regime or the former dictatorship. Yeah. We don't have to choose between being ruled over by, you know, something, you know, um a supreme leader or a king or whatnot. We want to be able to have that freedom and have that democracy and have like people's sovereignty. And that is what the people of Iran are yearning for. They're like, we're not sacrificing our lives to have you know. Just um this the time and era for that are well over, and you know, we haven't made this much sacrifice to just create one dictator with another. Um so we're not in the business of recycling um dictators right now in Iran taking something that unfortunately there are um, I guess, interest groups or you know, those who are promoting that, which is something that Iranians really don't want.

SPEAKER_00 43:44

Wow, and you're right, for the people, by the people, right? You know, that whole democratic system and republic. And I'm so hopeful that it will come to fruition, you know, for all of you and your people back home. Oh, Zalal. I have learned so much in this interview. I am humbled and honored for you to share and be vulnerable with us today because this is this is a real reality that you've shared with us, but also your life's work of speaking up and resisting of something that's been a system that's been so oppressive and suppressive and dehumanizing, you know. So I thank you for that. Um, where can um our listeners, viewers um find your work?

SPEAKER_02 44:33

Well, or if you would like to learn more about the National Path of the Vitms of Iran, you can visit ntr-iran.org. To learn more about Myanmar B, which I think a lot of your viewers would be interested in, um, they can visit um my change.com or myam dash rajadi.com. Um and to um on social media, I mean if you want to find me, I am available on Instagram and um LinkedIn, so search my name and should come up. Um, but yeah, um, please feel free to reach out if you want to become active and like yeah, because right now it is the situation that we um we could use every help site. Um so if you're in the U based in the US, you can reach out to um Organization of Iranian American Communities, it's o Iac.org. They have chapters in over 40 um different states. So you should probably be covered, and um they they will put you in contact with the local chapter. And they we do a lot of work there um both on the ground in different cities and you know, holding exhibits, influence, um um, protests, rallies, whatnot, but also a lot of work is being done in the um on Capitol Hill and also in the media. So uh feel free to reach out to them. Um and if you are in any other country, Canada, Australia, Europe, wherever, you can reach out to uonfreedom.org and they will put you in contact with local chapters.

SPEAKER_00 46:09

That's awesome. And we'll have all of those links and where um our listeners and viewers can find your important works along in the show notes as well. Oh, thank you so, so much. And oh my gosh, I am just I've learned so much. I could talk to you all day just by just taking in your knowledge and just thank you. You give us hope, you know, going in and doing the work for all of your people and um just knowing you're not alone. And this is amazing for educators as well, Zalal, to show that there are multiple organizations and correct firsthand accounts that teachers can use to, you know, in their uh lesson plans with current events, especially what's going on right now. Anything else you'd like to add?

SPEAKER_02 47:00

Yeah, I think teachers can have play in measurable because these are what's forming the future. Um, so I think that education is really important and raising awareness and asking those questions, you know, putting uh, you know, informing your students' group critical for them to understand that, you know, a lot of the things that we take for granted in society, it's not only to give in, so honor it, tr transvert it, um, safeguard it, uh, you know, um, but also just to have you know to be able to learn the real the reality and the real history because it's unfortunate we have had a lot of information are correct necessarily. So it's it really um helps you put things into perspective once you have the actual fact of you know what happened, what was the history there? And it makes helps us to understand even the society that we live in. We shouldn't look at it like this is you know far away from us, you know, in a different continent or whatnot, or this story belongs to a different century or a different decade. Um, I think that all of it really comes to our aid in understanding like the world that we live in and what our responsibility is and how we can learn from history because history is what guides us in the future.

SPEAKER_00 48:20

So yes, it sure does. And being a classroom teacher, former classroom teacher, we know if we don't if we don't learn it, we repeat it. That's what I used to tell my fifth graders, and and that's so true. Oh, Zalal, thank you so much for being on the show today. And if this episode moves you, please share it with a friend, colleague, or educator who values global understanding and cultural awareness. And I'll see you here same time next week. Bye bye.