Iran Democratic Transition Conference III

Establishing a National Iranian Congress
Introducing the National Iran Council

On March 7, 2013, the Center for Culture and Security at The Institute of World Politics (IWP), in collaboration with the Confederation of Iranian Students, hosted the third conference in the Iran Democratic Transition series in Washington, DC. The event marked the formal introduction of the National Iran Council, a proposed framework aimed at advancing a democratic transition in Iran.

Held at IWP’s campus, the conference brought together academics, policymakers, human rights advocates, students, and Iranian democracy activists to examine Iran’s political future and explore pathways toward a free, pluralistic, and representative system of governance.

The conference featured distinguished speakers, including U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ), Prince Reza Pahlavi, Amir Abbas Fakhravar (Research Fellow at IWP and former political prisoner), and Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Iran and Middle East Affairs at the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Remarks and messages were also delivered on behalf of U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL).

A central component of the program was a panel discussion with members of the Interim Committee of the National Iran Council, moderated by Cina Dabestani, with participation from Riza Pirzadeh, Nazila Golestan, Shahin Nejad, Amir Golalipour, and Dr. Saeed Ganji. The panel addressed the Council’s vision, objectives, and role in facilitating coordination among pro-democracy forces inside and outside Iran.

The conference was held by invitation only and provided a closed, high-level forum for candid dialogue on democratic transition, national unity, and international engagement concerning Iran.