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The Cyrus Accords must be implemented now to ensure that when the regime collapses, a stable, democratic Iran emerges as a partner for peace.
By AIDIN PANAHI FEBRUARY 6, 2025 04:02
FORMER IRANIAN crown prince Reza Pahlavi addresses the Israeli American Council’s National Summit in Washington last September.
(photo credit: From Boston To Iran group)
On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump returned to the White House, signaling a shift in US foreign policy with a renewed emphasis on securing American interests abroad. A central focus of his previous administration was the Abraham Accords, which sought to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab nations, reshaping diplomatic alignments in the region.
While these agreements established formal ties, their effectiveness in stabilizing the region remains debatable, as Iran’s aggressive influence and regional destabilization continue to pose an existential threat. Now, in his second term, the question is how to address the unresolved challenges that continue to undermine regional security.
Iran’s regime remains the principal driver of instability in the Middle East, actively fueling hostility toward Israel and the West through its resistance network. This necessitates the implementation of the Cyrus Accords, a strategic framework to ensure Iran’s post-regime integration into a cooperative regional system.
As Iran’s internal crisis deepens, all indicators point to its collapse becoming increasingly likely. The fall of the Islamic Republic is a critical global security and economic necessity. The regime’s fall would cut off the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism, dismantling its support for extremist groups. Additionally, Iran’s return as a strategic ally to Israel would shift the regional balance, fostering new security and economic partnerships.
Western hesitation in supporting regime change is actively reinforced by the Islamic Republic’s influence network in the West. The regime has embedded its narratives into policy discussions through lobbyists, media figures, and individuals who falsely present themselves as opposition voices.
Many of these actors, funded by Western governments under the guise of supporting the Iranian people, have instead used these resources to amplify regime narratives, deceiving their benefactors into unknowingly sustaining pro-regime propaganda.
These figures misrepresent the Iranian people’s demands, reducing them to minor reforms like adjustments to gender apartheid laws and the unveiling of the hijab, while ignoring their call for full regime collapse and democratic transformation.
Some weaken Iran’s territorial integrity by pushing ethnic divisions, while others advocate futile negotiations that only prolong the regime’s survival. This manipulation of Western discourse has stalled decisive action, prolonging the regime’s survival.
Despite years of regime-backed propaganda distorting Western perception, the reality inside Iran tells a different story. The Iranian people have decisively rejected reformist illusions, demanding total regime change. A structured transition plan is already in place, designed to ensure stability, governance, and territorial integrity while granting the Iranian people the final say on their future governance through a national referendum.
Transition plan
FORMER CROWN PRINCE Reza Pahlavi stands at the forefront of this transition plan. He is overwhelmingly supported in street demonstrations and public demands inside Iran, as well as among the Iranian diaspora.
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He has outlined a strategic framework for Iran’s liberation and reconstruction. His five-pillar approach for this purpose includes maximum support for domestic resistance, maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic, mobilization of the Iranian diaspora, inducing defections within the regime, and establishing a clear political and economic vision for Iran’s future.
Strategically, these efforts are divided into two phases: first, the struggle to dismantle the current regime, and second, the establishment of a democratic government. As domestic resistance intensifies and reports emerge of fractures within the security forces, the regime’s grip on power appears to be weakening, suggesting that its fall could be imminent.
The transitional period will not descend into disorder but will follow a methodical and transparent process. A constituent assembly will draft a democratic constitution, with public discourse mirroring open governmental discussions seen in Western democracies.
A national referendum will ultimately determine Iran’s system of governance, ensuring that the new leadership emerges from a legitimate and representative process. Territorial integrity will be safeguarded, eliminating concerns of factional fragmentation or foreign interference in Iran’s sovereignty.
For Trump, the Cyrus Accords provide an opportunity to secure his legacy as the architect of lasting Middle East stability. While the Abraham Accords addressed diplomatic relations among Arab states and Israel, they did not tackle the fundamental issue of Iranian-sponsored conflict.
The Cyrus Accords will finalize this vision, ensuring that a post-regime Iran becomes a stabilizing force rather than a power vacuum. However, securing regional stability is only part of the equation. A free Iran will also unlock significant economic opportunities for the West, particularly for the United States and Israel.
A liberated Iran will not only bring stability but will also create a win-win scenario, unlocking vast economic opportunities for both the Iranian people and the West. Decades of regime mismanagement have left Iran’s infrastructure in dire need of investment, from water resources and energy to roads, telecommunications, and modernized oil and gas facilities.
Addressing these challenges will not only rebuild the nation but also drive technological advancement, industrial expansion, and economic growth. With unparalleled expertise in these sectors, the United States and Israel are well-positioned to help drive Iran’s reconstruction, fostering innovation, job creation, and regional cooperation.
This revitalization will modernize Iran, enhance living standards, and establish the country as a key driver of prosperity in the Middle East, benefiting both regional stability and global markets. Iran’s people are poised for change.
The international community must be ready. The Cyrus Accords must be conceptualized and implemented now to ensure that when the regime collapses, a stable, democratic Iran emerges as a partner for peace rather than a vacuum for chaos.
This is Israel’s chance to secure its long-term safety. This is America’s strategic opportunity to reassert global leadership. This is the world’s moment to invest in sustainable peace. The choices we make now will define the future of the Middle East. The world cannot afford to wait. We must get this right.
The writer is an Iranian-American research professor and energy expert, political and human rights activist, organizer of joint events between Iranian and Jewish communities in Massachusetts, and leads the From Boston To Iran group alongside other fellow activists.
English (US) ·