A few weeks after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, several published statements have called for a referendum and a transition beyond the Islamic Republic.

One of these, signed by 800 domestic and international activists, was issued by Mir Hossein Mousavi, formerly the prime minister during the Iran-Iraq war. Mousavi was also the leader of the Green Movement, running as a presidential candidate in 2009 against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. After alleging electoral fraud, he was placed under house arrest along with his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, where they remain to this day.

Once close to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Mousavi later became politically aligned with Iran’s reformist camp — and now, he is calling for a complete transition away from the Islamic Republic, explicitly demanding a referendum.

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