Statement by the Iranian Reform Front: The only way to save the country is through change and a return to the people

Statement from the Front for the Reforms of Iran

The criminal aggression of Israel and the imposition of a 12-day war on Iran, despite a decisive response and the clear demonstration of the deterrent capabilities and defensive power of the country’s armed forces, have transformed our national security image in the region and the world. This war has shown that Iran is determined and capable of defending its territorial integrity; however, it has also made it clear that continuing down this path, without rebuilding national trust and opening the door to constructive engagement with the world, will impose significant human, financial, and psychological costs on the nation. Today, the collective psyche of Iranians is wounded, and the shadow of despair and anxiety continues to weigh heavily on the daily lives of the people.

Before the war, the Iranian economy was already under pressure from chronic imbalances and unstable decisions, and today, the consequences of the war, alongside rampant inflation, production recession, the plummeting value of the national currency, and capital flight, have highlighted the risk of economic paralysis more than ever.

In such circumstances, the threat of activating the “snapback mechanism” by the European Troika is very real and on the verge of being implemented. The return of Iran’s nuclear file to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter will restore UN sanctions and lead to a deeper recession as a consequence of the recent war. This return will also legitimize future wars against Iran under the label of “threatening peace.” Therefore, preventing this scenario is a matter of national security urgency, not a partisan or electoral issue.

Today, at this historical juncture, three paths are before the nation and the government:

A. Continuation of the status quo; with a fragile ceasefire and an uncertain future.

B. Repeating the pattern of the past 22 years; tactical negotiations to buy time without addressing the root causes of the crises.

C. Courageously choosing national reconciliation and abandoning hostilities both inside and outside the country; aiming to reform the governance structure and return to the principle of popular sovereignty through holding free elections and eliminating the vetting process, while also ending tension-making and international isolation.

The Front for the Reforms of Iran considers national reconciliation and its resulting outcomes, based on a strategy of reform from within, as the only way to save the country and a golden opportunity for change and returning to the people. Without addressing deep structural reforms, national reconciliation and general amnesty will merely turn into a political show.

Therefore, we present our immediate and operational roadmap for implementing structural reforms in two areas: domestic policy and foreign policy as follows:

1. Announcing a general amnesty, lifting the house arrest of Engineer Mir Hossein Mousavi and Dr. Zahra Rahnavard, removing political restrictions on Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, freeing all political and ideological prisoners and civil activists, and ending the suppression of reformist critics to rebuild national trust and mend the gap between the nation and the government.

2. Changing the governance discourse to national development through the formulation and implementation of the “Doctrine of Development and Prosperity for Iran,” centered on the welfare, prosperity, and dignity of citizens, instead of prioritizing ideological disputes.

3. Dissolving parallel institutions and making significant changes in appointed institutions and their approaches, ending multiplicity in decision-making, restoring government powers, and preventing the interference of numerous non-transparent and unaccountable councils in the administration of the country.

4. Returning military forces to their barracks and removing them from politics, economy, and culture.

5. Reevaluating domestic security approaches and policies while maintaining deterrent defensive capabilities, alongside reducing the security-focused view of society and eliminating the selective perspective of “insiders and outsiders.”

6. Reforming the approach and management of state media and ensuring media freedom while eliminating censorship.

7. Amending laws related to women’s rights that expose half of society to systemic discrimination and violence.

8. Freeing the country’s economy from the control of governmental oligarchs and creating equal economic opportunities for all people, providing a conducive environment for domestic and foreign investors.

9. Reforming foreign policy based on national reconciliation and solidarity among all Iranians inside and outside the country, utilizing all diplomatic capacities to prevent the activation of the snapback mechanism, lifting sanctions, and restoring the deserving position of the cultured and peace-seeking Iranian nation in the international system.

10. Utilizing nuclear initiative to exit the crisis and expressing readiness for voluntary suspension of enrichment and acceptance of monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency in exchange for the complete lifting of sanctions, with the goal of initiating comprehensive and direct negotiations with the United States and normalizing relations based on dignity, wisdom, and expediency.

11. Regional convergence to create sustainable peace and utilizing opportunities for interaction with neighbors, supporting the formation of an independent Palestinian state according to the wishes of the people of this land, and cooperating with Saudi Arabia and other regional countries to restore Iran’s image as a peace-loving and responsible nation.

Establishing national reconciliation and changing the current governance practices reflect the desires of the majority of the Iranian people, who seek interaction with the international community, peaceful coexistence with neighbors, development, and a life in security and prosperity.

The Front for the Reforms of Iran believes that the cornerstone for returning to the people is based on the principle that there is now a golden opportunity for change before the nation and the government, which can serve as a springboard for sustainable development, rebuilding social capital, and dignified interaction with the world. Any disregard for the necessity of change will lead the country down a path of gradual collapse.

Therefore, we call upon all national political forces advocating for peaceful and non-violent reform approaches, both inside and outside the country, and all decision-making institutions supporting the rights of the people, to come together around national interests instead of perpetuating artificial and fruitless divisions. This moment is a moment for a significant decision to move beyond the past and open the doors to a different future. Tomorrow may be too late.

The Front for the Reforms of Iran

August 16, 2025