In an era where political division is the norm, bipartisanship in Washington is a rare and fragile thing. Yet, even in these polarized times, a unifying thread remains: a shared belief in human rights and moral clarity. This was reaffirmed when a historic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives—224 members from both parties—came together to support House Resolution 166 (H.Res. 166), a landmark measure affirming solidarity with the Iranian people’s pursuit of a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic.

This is more than symbolic. It’s a collective moral stand, grounded in action.

Championed by Congressman Tom McClintock, with co-sponsorship from leading lawmakers, including Democrat Rep. Brad Sherman, Rep. Darrell Issa, Chairman Raul Ruiz, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the resolution marks a rare and principled stance amid a fractured political climate. For Iranian Americans—particularly those who’ve spent decades advocating for justice—this moment is deeply personal.

The resolution is the result of tireless grassroots advocacy by Iranian American communities across the United States. Families of political prisoners, survivors of torture, and those exiled by persecution joined forces with lawmakers—motivated not by ideology, but by conviction. It’s their persistence that made this bipartisan victory possible.

H.Res. 166 reaffirms the Iranian people’s right to self-determination and backs a vision for a future rooted in democratic values: free and fair elections, gender equality, freedom of religion and speech, separation of religion and state, and a nuclear-free Iran. This framework has garnered international support, endorsed by thousands of parliamentarians, hundreds of U.S. lawmakers, former heads of state, and dozens of Nobel laureates.

But the resolution doesn’t stop at aspirations. It calls out the regime’s atrocities in stark terms.

Under the current leadership, Iran has seen an appalling surge in executions—over 500 in the early months of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration alone, including at least 17 women. The year 2023 ranks among the bloodiest in decades, with more than 1,000 executions recorded—making Iran the world leader per capita in capital punishment. These are not just statistics; they are shattered lives and stolen futures.

Compounding this human toll is the country’s economic freefall. Inflation is rampant, the rial has plummeted in value, and everyday essentials have slipped out of reach for millions. Corruption festers while regime insiders profit, leaving ordinary Iranians to bear the cost.

This despair has galvanized daily protests across the nation—from teachers and retirees to students and military veterans. Whether in Tehran, Tabriz, Ahvaz, or Isfahan, Iranians are demanding more than subsistence. They want dignity, justice, and liberty. The nation simmers with unrest, and the regime appears bereft of solutions.

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign policy continues to sow instability. By backing proxies like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other armed groups, the regime exports violence well beyond its borders. Its nuclear ambitions—pursued in defiance of international norms—pose a threat not only to the region but to global security. Tehran has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels and routinely obstructs international inspections.

What, then, is the path forward?

Some advocate for engagement. Others suggest containment. But decades of trial and error have made one truth clear: neither strategy has curbed Tehran’s repression or aggression. The regime thrives on delay, deception, and division.

Congress, however, has embraced a different vision—one grounded in principle and practicality: empowering the Iranian people in their demand for change, not through foreign intervention, but through moral and political support for a homegrown movement determined to reclaim its future.

This resolution outlines a democratic roadmap where sovereignty belongs to the people—not to clerics, monarchs, or military strongmen.

It also calls for long-overdue accountability, especially for the 1988 massacre of as many as 30,000 political prisoners, many of them members of the Iranian opposition. The fact that many perpetrators of that atrocity remain in power underscores the urgent need for justice. Delay is complicity. The international community must act.

Moreover, the resolution stresses the need to protect Iranian dissidents abroad. Today, they serve not just as witnesses to history but as architects of Iran’s future. Their protection must be non-negotiable.

This bipartisan consensus represents a rare flash of moral clarity. Congress has spoken not merely as a legislative body but as a moral compass—signaling to Tehran and to the world that the United States stands with those who resist authoritarianism, not those who enforce it.

The broader message is clear: regime change in Iran is no longer a radical proposition or an abstract ideal. It is a pragmatic, just, and ultimately necessary answer to one of the longest-running threats to global peace and individual freedom. Appeasement has failed. Sanctions alone are insufficient. What’s required is sustained, strategic support for the Iranian people and their organized, democratic opposition.

The Iranian people are rising. Congress is paying attention. The world must now do the same.