Exiled Iranian opposition activists and Israelis gathered last week for a joint meeting aimed at developing a practical strategy and civilian infrastructure for the day after the regime in Tehran is overthrown. The discussion sought to move the conversation from political protest to the practical stages of rebuilding the country, while outlining a vision for a historic alliance between the two peoples. As inspiration for building future infrastructure and cooperation, participants drew on the legacy and ideas of King Cyrus and Theodor Herzl.
“Cyrus did not just free the Jews; he gave them the tools to establish their national home,” said Tom Wagner, CEO of the Abrahamic Movement and the organizer behind the meeting. “Now is the time to repay our debt. This is the time for Zionism 2.0—to share our knowledge with neighboring peoples who long for a national revival.”
“On January 10, just as on October 7, humanity went on vacation,” said Lily Mo, who led the protests against the Iranian regime in Europe, referring to the massacre carried out by the Iranian regime against protesters on January 10. “Israelis and Iranians came out to protest. We sang the Iranian, British and Israeli national anthems.”
She spoke about her fight against antisemitism following October 7 and the moment when the Lion and Sun flag, the flag of Iran under the Shah, was raised alongside the Israeli flag on the streets of London. “People were calling out in support from the windows. There was hope. We must act from that place of hope, for freedom and humanity.”
Wagner, who co-authored the book The Cyrus Accords with Iranian Arash Hamedian, which presents a vision of cooperation between Israel and the freedom-seeking Iranian people, stressed the need to build concrete infrastructure rather than simply dream of liberation and friendship. Participants were challenged to consider how to move from political protest toward laying the foundations for Iran’s reconstruction.
Pantea Modiri, a journalist and filmmaker, spoke about opposition to the regime among Iranians. “Most Iranians do not like the regime; they have learned to adapt to it. They are neither part of the regime nor part of the organized opposition. For years, the regime fought the opposition; now it is crushing them as well. The question is not only how the regime will fall, but what happens afterward.”
In her remarks, Modiri spoke about Iran’s middle class, educated professionals and skilled workers: “They are the people who have kept the current system running, and they are the ones who will rebuild the country. They are held hostage by the regime. We need to move from a coalition of hostages to a coalition of builders.”
Modiri also pointed to the challenges facing any transition: “There is a lack of trust in Iran. After years of institutionalizing distrust, trust is revolutionary. Trust is not an emotion; it is social infrastructure, and it needs to be built.”