By Dr. Sami Khater – Academic and University Professor
As the strategic setbacks suffered by Iran’s system of velayat-e faqih in the Middle East continue to unfold year after year, the demonstrations organized by the Iranian diaspora in New York in September 2025 have introduced new dimensions to the internal and external challenges facing the regime.
These demonstrations are far from being fleeting protests; they represent a clear and unified expression of an international popular rejection of a regime that suppresses its own people and fuels chaos across the region. They also expose the fragility of the velayat-e faqih system amid the layered political, military, and security crises engulfing the regime today.
Dimensions of the Protests and Their Relation to Regional Transformations
The New York demonstrations have emerged as a focal point for Iranian resistance abroad, with thousands of Iranians and supporters gathering to voice their rejection of dictatorship, corruption, violence, and the regime’s decades-long interventions in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. These mobilizations come at a moment when the regime and its allies are experiencing mounting defeats and retreats from territories they once considered their “strategic depth,” a reality that has severely impacted the regime’s domestic and foreign policies.
The fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 marked a pivotal moment, revealing the erosion of both the military and political support Tehran had provided—directly or through its proxies. This collapse widened the circle of protests both inside Iran and abroad. Outside Iran, it manifested in large-scale demonstrations across major cities such as Brussels and New York, which have become platforms for refugees and migrants to project a revitalized voice of Iranian opposition.
Revolutionary Rhetoric and Public Frustration with the Clerical Regime in New York
The New York protests did not merely raise local or human-rights demands; they delivered strong political messages aimed squarely at the ruling establishment. Protesters carried anti-execution slogans and called for the overthrow of the clerical regime, stressing that the solution lies not in minor reforms or temporary reconciliations but in dismantling the entire system and ushering in comprehensive democratic transformation.
Participants’ messages were unequivocal in rejecting attempts by Khamenei and his loyalists to portray Qassem Soleimani and figures like him as heroes or martyrs. For many, these figures are associated with massacres and destruction in Syria, Yemen, and neighboring countries. Protesters also firmly denounced the regime’s exploitation of regional causes—such as Jerusalem and Palestine—to justify domestic repression, emphasizing that Iran’s true national cause is liberation from authoritarian rule.
Iranian Resistance and Support for the International Movement
The New York demonstrations fit into a broader framework of protests led by the Iranian Resistance, particularly the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which has repeatedly stressed the connection between Iran’s internal popular demands and a responsible, organized opposition with a clear program for change. The NCRI and its international networks have played a significant role in highlighting the regime’s crimes and exposing its fabrications regarding its strategy of exporting terrorism and regional interference.
Because these demonstrations are taking place in New York—home to the United Nations and many human rights and international media institutions—they have gained greater attention and global resonance. This elevates the voice of the Iranian revolution on the world stage and reinforces the international community’s responsibility to support the Iranian people’s efforts and their right to determine their own future.
Shifts in the Trajectory of the Iranian Revolution
The New York protests embody an important shift in Iran’s national protest movement: from an internally centered struggle to one bolstered by global diaspora communities, which have become effective political pressure groups on both the regime and international decision-making circles. They also serve as a platform for disseminating the official opposition’s perspective, rejecting the continuation of clerical rule.
These demonstrations complete the chain of peaceful mobilization and popular uprisings, sending a clear message that Iran’s national revolution is not confined within its borders but is a national and popular cause that extends wherever Iranians reside.
Conclusion
The courage and determination of the protesters in New York represent more than a revolt against a repressive regime—they constitute a clear declaration of Iran’s global political presence in support of freedom and democracy. They affirm that this revolution continues despite all challenges, and that the era of a regime stripped of legitimacy is rapidly approaching its end.
