Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg spoke at a conference of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Paris. Kellogg said the theocratic regime in Tehran is at its weakest point in decades and that a generational window of opportunity lies before the opposition.
Regime will not leave voluntarily
"The window is open wider than at any time in a generation, and windows do not stay open forever," Kellogg said. "The theocratic regime in Tehran will not leave voluntarily. You must force it out. The hope is here. Now action must come," he stated.
Agreement should be a starting point
The retired general framed any disarmament agreement not as an end point but as "the first step toward something much bigger." Kellogg argued that such an agreement must become the foundation for Iran's future without the current regime.
Peaceful call from NCRI President
In her speech at the conference, NCRI's elected president Maryam Rajavi argued that neither war nor negotiations have resolved the threat posed by the Tehran administration. "A peaceful, nuclear-free Iran is only possible with the overthrow of this regime by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance," Rajavi said. She added that any international agreement to end the war must include an end to the execution of political prisoners and the killing of protesters.
Trust but verify
Recalling the NCRI's 2002 exposure of Iran's Natanz and Arak nuclear facilities, Kellogg said the group must play a role in advocating for the strict verification of any agreement. "When we say trust but verify, understand that verification is not an abstraction for this Council. It is your legacy," Kellogg said. "You must be the conscience that ensures every barrel of uranium comes out, every centrifuge stops, and every word on that page becomes a reality on the ground."
Reactions to France's ban
The conference took place under the shadow of French authorities banning a planned open-air rally on grounds of security threats. A French court later upheld the ban, citing specific intelligence about alleged bomb threats and risks of violence among rival Iranian opposition groups, including potential threats from actors linked to the Iranian regime or monarchist groups.
Despite the ban, demonstrators gathered at the site on Saturday. Police warned the crowd to disperse and detained around 20 people.
International messages of support
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the French ban a "tragic mistake," saying Western capitals must allow Iranian opposition voices to be heard.
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba linked Ukraine's struggle against Russia to the Iranian opposition's struggle against Tehran. Kuleba said Ukrainians wanted to attend the rally and were "spooked" by the French ban, stating, "The people of Ukraine stand with those who defend democracy, freedom, liberty on their soil."
