Dr. Ben Carson Speaks at Senate Briefing: Supporting the Iranian People’s Struggle for a Free Iran

Описание: Senior U.S. Senators, national security leaders, former administration officials, and policy experts convened on U.S. Senate historic Kennedy Caucus Room on 12/11/2025, for a bipartisan Senate briefing titled “Supporting the Iranian People’s Struggle For A Free, Non-Nuclear Republic.”

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Democratic Strategic Communications Committee, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member Foreign Relations Committee; & Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Committee on Homeland Security; spoke at the event. Other speakers included General James Jones, USMC (Ret.), 1st National Security Advisor to President Obama; Hon. Roy Blunt, former U.S. Senator (R-MO), Hon. Ben Carson, 17th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Hon. Heather Nauert, 27th U.S. State Department Spokesperson.

Senator Shaheen reminded the audience, “Each time we meet, you give a voice to Iran's democratic future, and you ensure that the world hears the truth.” She highlighted the threat of the Iranian regime, and the need to “protect the residents of Ashraf-3.”

Senator Cornyn referred to the Iranian regime as the head of the octopus of terrorism. Senator Cornyn recalled his meeting with Mrs. Rajavi in Ashraf-3 in 2017. “The people of Iran need hope because of the theocratic government there that has repressed so many of them and denied them that hope and opportunity for the future,” he said.

Senator Cory Booker said, “I come in here annually and I get fortified. You all give me strength, and a reminder of what Martin Luther King said so profoundly, that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He highlighted the unifying role of the Iranian Resistance, “In a time of left and right, where deepening divisions are happening in this country, this room unites people.

Senator Gallego, referring to the struggle of the Iranian people for freedom, emphasized, “anytime we see that type of movement, anytime we see that type of resistance anywhere in the world, as Americans as peace-loving people … we should continue to encourage, that community to fight, and hopefully eventually to change the direction. Because there is a great tomorrow coming for Iran.”

Speaking via Teleconference, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi expressed deep gratitude for congressional attention to Iran at a time when the regime is intensifying repression at home and heightening tensions abroad. She pointed to the regime’s record of more than 1,950 executions in 2025 alone. “We do not ask any foreign government for money or weapons,” Mrs. Rajavi noted. “Our only request is that the international community recognize the Iranian people’s struggle to overthrow a regime that has occupied our country for nearly half a century.” Our goal she said, "is not to take power for ourselves; our goal is to transfer power to the people of Iran.” “Within six months, there will be a nationwide election for a Constituent Assembly, chosen directly by the people.” She thanked Members of the Senate for their bipartisan support of S.Res.145, which backs the rights and security of residents of Ashraf-3.

Ambassador Marc Ginsberg underscored the importance of evaluating not only the regime’s malign activities but also the viable democratic alternative being advanced by the Iranian Resistance.

General James L. Jones delivered an assessment of Iran’s accelerating threat to regional and international security. General Jones emphasized that U.S. national security interests align with empowering the Iranian people’s democratic movement rather than engaging in policies that inadvertently strengthen the regime.

The Honorable Roy Blunt spoke about the long-standing bipartisan commitment within Congress to human rights and democratic values in Iran. He underscored the importance of supporting the Iranian people’s aspirations, noting that congressional resolutions and briefings such as this one reflect the recognition that the current regime is neither reformable nor compatible with international norms.

Mrs. Heather Nauert emphasized the significance of amplifying credible voices from inside Iran. She noted that Mrs. Rajavi’s message reflects the Iranian people’s rejection of both dictatorship and extremism. On the crucial role of women she said, “The opposition movement's leadership reflects this spirit. Maryam Rajavi's vision, expressed in her 10-point plan speaks to values that Americans across the political spectrum, different parties, care about universal suffrage, free elections, and equal participation for women, also a secular state...These are not partisan principles; They are human ones.”

Dr. Ben Carson offered reflections on the moral imperative to support oppressed populations. He praised the courage of Iranian protesters and political prisoners and underscored that a democratic, non-nuclear Iran would contribute significantly to global stability.