Dr. Kazem Kazerounian, Professor and Scholar of Iranian Politics
July 23, 2025
Massoud Rajavi’s latest message, issued on the anniversary of the founding of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, addresses the growing controversy surrounding Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s recent call for a constitutional referendum. Some voices have reacted with harsh attacks. Rajavi’s message offers a different response. Without defending Mousavi’s past, and without speculating on his motives, Rajavi urges strategic restraint. The message is about discipline, focus, and keeping the resistance aimed at its true enemy.
Rajavi refers to Mousavi, who, after fifteen years under house arrest, has called for the formation of a new constitutional assembly. He reminds us of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Mousavi was prime minister at the time. But Rajavi does not dwell on Mousavi’s past. He does not speculate about his intentions. He asks a different question: how should we respond?
Rajavi does not suggest that Mousavi has joined the opposition. He does not ask for partnership or dialogue. He asks for restraint. His message is that attacking Mousavi now—on this issue, in this moment—only strengthens Khamenei.
This is not an endorsement of Mousavi. It is a statement about timing, power, and the psychology of conflict. When a figure within the regime, (or not completely outside of it), challenges its foundations, for whatever reason, the correct response is not reflexive hostility. It is to let the crack widen. To let the confusion grow inside the ruling structure. To keep the pressure where it belongs.
The message speaks to a deeper principle. Clarity of purpose is not just about knowing your goals. It is about knowing what helps and what harms them. Rajavi’s call is not emotional. It is strategic. He draws a line between political instinct and political judgment.
This clarity is a hallmark of Rajavi’s leadership. For decades, he has navigated moments of chaos and betrayal without losing direction. His ability to combine principled resistance with sharp tactical awareness has preserved the integrity of the struggle when others faltered. In an environment where noise often replaces thought, he has held fast to essentials. This message is one more example of that precision.
Throughout history, resistance movements have lost their way when they turned their fire inward. They forgot what they were fighting for. The Russian revolution descended into purges. The French resistance fractured. In contrast, leaders like Mandela and de Gaulle knew when to stay silent and where to focus.
Rajavi does not invite moral confusion. He does not confuse critic with ally. He reminds us that not every opportunity to speak is an opportunity to advance the cause. Sometimes, restraint is the sharper weapon.
The goal remains unchanged. It is not reform. It is the complete dismantling of the theocratic regime. That goal demands more than defiance. It demands wisdom. It demands timing.
This message is not about Mousavi. It is about the discipline of resistance. The struggle is not only won by those who raise their voices. It is won by those who know when not to.