Keith Kellogg tells Iranian dissidents the 'window is open' to force regime change in Tehran

As nan Trump management pushes forward pinch a caller Iran deal, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg told a Paris gathering of nan National Council of Resistance of Iran — an exiled Iranian guidance conjugation aligned pinch nan People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) — that Tehran’s rulers are weaker than they person been successful decades and urged dissidents to prehend what he described arsenic a historical opening.

"The model is unfastened wider than astatine immoderate infinitesimal successful a generation, and windows do not enactment unfastened forever," Kellogg said astatine nan two-day event. "The theocratic authorities successful Tehran will not time off voluntarily. You must unit it. The dream is here. Now must travel nan action."

Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant wide and erstwhile U.S. typical envoy for Ukraine, framed immoderate disarmament statement not arsenic an endpoint, but arsenic "the first measurement of thing acold larger," saying it should go nan instauration for Iran’s early without nan existent regime.

POMPEO SAYS IRANIAN REGIME HAS ARRIVED AT 'NATURAL TERMINUS': 'LET'S NOT WASTE THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY'

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg speaks astatine nan National Council of Resistance of Iran’s two-day convention successful Paris, wherever he urged Iranian guidance supporters to prehend what he called a historical opening against Tehran’s regime. (Mousa Mohebbi)

Maryam Rajavi, nan NCRI’s president-elect, used her remarks astatine nan conference to reason that neither warfare nor negotiations had solved nan threat posed by Tehran’s rulers. "A peaceful, non-nuclear Iran is imaginable only done nan overthrow of this regime by nan Iranian group and their organized Resistance," Rajavi said, adding that immoderate world statement to extremity nan warfare should see an extremity to executions of governmental prisoners and nan sidesplitting of protesters.

Kellogg besides invoked nan NCRI’s 2002 disclosure of Iran’s Natanz and Arak atomic sites, saying nan group should play a domiciled successful pushing for strict verification of immoderate agreement. "When I opportunity trust, but verify, understand that verification is not an abstraction to this Council. It is your legacy," he said. "You must beryllium nan conscience that ensures each tube of uranium leaves, every centrifuge stops, and each committedness connected that page becomes a truth connected nan ground."

The remarks came arsenic NCRI organizers had expected tens of thousands of Iranian expatriates from North America and Europe to be 2 days of events successful Paris. French authorities banned a planned outdoor rally, citing information threats. A French tribunal later upheld nan ban, pointing to circumstantial intelligence astir alleged explosive threats and risks of unit involving rival Iranian guidance factions, including imaginable threats from Iranian regime-linked actors or monarchist groups.

FRANCE CONDEMNS IRAN PROTEST CRACKDOWN, WEIGHS SATELLITE INTERNET AID AMID BLACKOUT

Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of nan National Council of Resistance of Iran, speaks astatine nan NCRI’s two-day convention successful Paris, wherever she called for a antiauthoritarian republic successful Iran and said immoderate world statement should see an extremity to executions of governmental prisoners. June 21, 2026. (Mousa Mohebbi)

The NCRI's main personnel statement is nan MEK, which was antecedently listed arsenic a violent statement by nan U.S., U.K. and European Union earlier being delisted successful 2012. The group is simply a awesome thorn successful nan broadside of nan Tehran authorities and has been nan target of alleged Iranian land successful nan U.S. and Europe, including a foiled 2018 explosive crippled against nan group's rally extracurricular Paris.

Despite nan ban, demonstrators gathered astatine nan tract connected Saturday. Police ordered nan crowd to disperse and arrested astir 20 people, a constabulary root told AFP.

Ali Safavi, a personnel of nan NCRI’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Digital that nan French determination amounted to "an unjustifiable enactment of capitulation," arguing that Paris should person protected nan rally alternatively than banning it, "Rather than yielding to intimidation, France should person defended nan basal antiauthoritarian correct to serene assembly."

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson besides criticized nan French ban, calling it a "tragic mistake" and saying Western capitals must let Iranian guidance voices to beryllium heard.

IRAN GOES DARK AS REGIME UNLEASHES FORCE, CYBER TOOLS TO CRUSH PROTESTS

Supporters of nan National Council of Resistance of Iran stitchery successful Paris connected June 20, 2026, aft French authorities banned an outdoor rally against repression and executions successful Iran. Police ordered demonstrators to disperse and arrested astir 20 people, according to AFP. (National Council of Resistance of Iran)

"If nan voices of state are to beryllium heard successful Iran, past we successful nan West must let those voices of state to beryllium heard successful our capitals and astir nan world," Johnson said during his speech.

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba besides addressed nan arena Saturday, linking Ukraine’s struggle against Russia to nan Iranian opposition’s conflict against Tehran. Kuleba said Ukrainians had wanted to subordinate nan rally and were "appalled" by nan French ban, adding, "The group of Ukraine guidelines by those who take sides democracy, freedom, liberty successful their lands."

He besides pointed to Iran’s support for Russia’s warfare effort, saying that while Russian ballistic missiles were targeting Kyiv, drones utilizing exertion "provided to Russia by nan existent authorities successful Iran" were besides striking Ukraine.

Supporters of nan National Council of Resistance of Iran stitchery successful Paris aft French authorities banned a rally against repression and executions successful Iran, June 20, 2026. (National Council of Resistance of Iran)

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"Like you, I cognize very good what it intends to beryllium attacked and killed and destroyed by nan authorities that presently holds its grip complete nan group of Iran," Kuleba said.

The French authorities did not instantly respond to a Fox News Digital petition for comment.