Middle East Forum:

Mardo Soghom

If a popular uprising ousts the Islamic Republic, what will happen to Iran? Are democratic political forces positioned to lead the country and normalize Iran’s domestic governance and its foreign policy, or would chaos ensue? Some Iranians and many Western officials fear remnants of the old regime could cloak themselves in the rhetoric of democratic governance while they pursue other aims, or in a worst-case scenario, conflict might erupt or anarchy prevail.

The National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), a U.S.-based advocacy group supporting Prince Reza Pahlavi, issued a roadmap on August 30, 2025, for the critical transitional period. The detailed plan is not final; NUFDI has asked Iranians to comment on it during a 45-day period.

The plan designates Pahlavi the “Leader of the National Uprising” during Iran’s revolutionary phase. Two institutions will form: a National Uprising Council to advise and shape policy, and a Temporary Executive Team to implement decisions. Iranians inside and outside the country will choose members, though their identities will remain confidential until the regime falls. After the Islamic Republic’s collapse, a three-part transitional system would govern: the Council (legislative), a Transitional Government (executive), and a Transitional Divan (judiciary), all under the oversight of the uprising’s leader.

The National Uprising Council will play a key role in Iran’s transitional period. Its responsibilities include reviewing and dissolving institutions from the Islamic Republic era, reorganizing the military command structure, and identifying which laws should be annulled or retained until a new parliament forms. It will enact temporary laws, review and approve the national budget, and oversee reforms to school textbooks at all levels to reflect the country’s new direction. It also will determine the size and eligibility criteria for an elected Constituent Assembly.

The Transitional Government will function as the executive branch during the transitional period. Its head will appoint ministers, subject to approval by a majority of the National Uprising Council. Its duties include executing laws, managing daily governance, defending national borders, ensuring internal security, and overseeing foreign affairs—such as reclaiming embassies, replacing Iran’s representatives in international organizations, and protecting national assets abroad. It will prepare referendums on Iran’s future system of government and the fate of Islamic Republic leaders, with options for justice or amnesty. All referendums are to meet international democratic standards, according to the plan.

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