Maneli Mirkhan

Maneli Mirkhan is a French-Iranian strategist and international consultant specializing in Iran and European policy. She is the founder of DORNA, an organization focused on structuring a democratic transition in Iran and serves as a strategic consultant for European policy at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). Mirkhan is also active in diaspora-led initiatives supporting Iranian civil society.^[1][2]

During the Mahsa Amini protests, Mirkhan stated that the "revolution" is not spontaneous but organized both internally and externally, she added that the role of the diaspora is to support the revolution that already began in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini.^[2] Following the 2026 Iran massacre, Mirkhan stated that a critical point has been reached and stated she saw a military response as the only remaining option to resolve the crisis in Iran.^[3]

Maneli Mirkhan is a French-Iranian, born in 1981. Mirkhan's parents were supportive of the events surrounding the revolutionary period that led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, hoping for democratic change.^[2]

Mirkhan completed a bachelor's degree in international economics and finance from Sorbonne University and a master's degree in energy and environmental economics and policy at IFP School and the CEA (Nuclear Energy Center), focusing on the intersection of energy strategy and sustainable development.^[1]

Mirkhan has more than 15 years of experience as a management and strategy consultant, with expertise spanning Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Her professional background includes work in sectors such as oil and gas, nuclear energy, transportation, and automotive industries.^[1]

At UANI, she serves as a strategic consultant for European policy and contributes to the organization's business risk unit. She acted as an adviser on European economic and political engagement with Iran and provides analysis of European companies' exposure to sectors under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).^[1]

She is the founder of DORNA, an independent organization focused on anticipating, structuring, and securing the conditions for political transition in Iran. DORNA is a non-partisan organization that facilitates planning for Iran's democratic transition. It works to connect domestic actors, international partners, and opposition groups to ensure coordinated, stable political change. Mirkhan emphasizes that without such a minimal platform, regime collapse could lead to chaos or power struggles that would destabilize both Iran and the region.^[4]

Mirkhan serves as Secretary General of the House of Liberty, a civil society NGO advocating for Iranian human rights, political reform, and women's rights. Through this role, she has participated in international forums and events highlighting issues such as women's leadership in Iran.^[5][6][7]

In interviews with outlets including Le Figaro and RTL, Mirkhan analyzed escalating tensions between Iran, the European Union, and the United States. She interpreted Tehran's response to the EU's designation of the IRGC as a "terrorist organization", which included labelling European forces as "terrorist groups," as a move to strengthen alliances with Russia and China.^[3][8][9]

Commenting on U.S.-Iran relations, Mirkhan emphasized that Iran's nuclear position is central to the regime's identity, expressing doubt that negotiations would succeed. Mirkhan has stated that following the 2026 massacre against Iranian protesters and escalating threats from the United States against the regime, a critical turning point has been reached, stating that "There is no other way out than military intervention".^[3]

In an opinion piece on Europe's activation of the snapback mechanism at the United Nations Security Council, she argued that reinstating international sanctions was the only effective lever remaining to enforce Iran's compliance, contending that previous European diplomatic initiatives had failed.^[10]

Mirkhan has been vocal about the protest movement that intensified following the death in custody of Mahsa Jina Amini in September 2022. She has described the movement as "organized" both internally and externally, rather than a spontaneous outcome.^[2]

In an interview marking the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death on 15 September 2023, Mirkhan discussed the political situation in Iran. She warned that authorities were preparing for the symbolic date by increasing arrests and deploying security forces in certain regions, expressing concern about potential clashes between protesters and the state. She also noted that ongoing civil disobedience, including women appearing unveiled in major cities, reflected a tightening of social rules rather than a relaxation. Additionally, Mirkhan highlighted Iran's severe economic crisis, suggesting that it could mobilise previously inactive segments of the population.^[6]

In a 31 January 2026 interview on RTL, Mirkhan described the situation in Iran as having reached a critical point. She argued that after the massacre of Iranian citizens and rising threats from the United States government, the conflict had passed a critical turning point from which there was "no going back." In her view, this development significantly limits diplomatic options and diminishes the likelihood that the crisis can be resolved without more forceful measures. Mirkhan stated that she saw military intervention as the only remaining path to resolving the crisis in Iran, asserting that alternatives had effectively been exhausted and emphasizing the severity of the political deadlock.^[3]

According to figures cited in media coverage referencing Human Rights Activists in Iran, hundreds of protesters, including children, were reported killed during the governments crackdowns and tens of thousands arrested. Mirkhan has emphasized the difficulty of verifying casualty numbers due to communication restrictions inside the country, and has raised concerns about missing detainees, including women, children, and medical personnel.^[3]

Mirkhan told Il Foglio that American and Israeli strikes could help the Iranian people achieve freedom, though the process will take time. She noted that the senior officials still in government appear visibly disoriented and that there are growing signs of defections within the regime.^[11] She also suggested that Kurdish forces could play a role in protecting the Iranian population during this transitional phase. At the same time, she emphasized that freedom comes at a cost, describing it as a necessary price to pay.^[11] Finally, Mirkhan called on the international community to support the Iranian people by encouraging them to take to the streets and push for the end of the regime.^[11]

Mirkhan is the founder of DORNA, an independent strategic consultancy designed to anticipate and structure the conditions for political transition in Iran. DORNA serves as a neutral facilitator for pragmatic political change.^[4]

The organization's framework rests on three pillars:

1. An internal ecosystem composed of mid-level societal actors and ethnic groups to stabilize transition and prevent fragmentation.
2. An international ecosystem aligned with on-the-ground dynamics to avoid unrealistic or counterproductive external interventions.
3. An opposition ecosystem, aimed at coordinating fragmented opposition forces without erasing ideological differences.

Mirkhan argued that without a minimal common platform among these actors, regime collapse could lead to power struggles and instability, an outcome Western governments seek to avoid. She has also maintained that anticipating transition is crucial to preventing a large-scale humanitarian and migration crisis affecting Europe.^[4]

Mirkhan is active in diaspora advocacy networks supporting Iranian protesters. She was involved with the collective Femme Azadi ("Woman Freedom"), a France-based group formed after Mahsa Jina Amini's death.^[2][6]

The group has organized weekly demonstrations, staged mock public executions in front of landmarks such as the Louvre and the French National Assembly, and collaborated with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to project the protest slogan "Women, Life, Freedom." onto the Eiffel Tower. Femme Azadi has also engaged in political advocacy, including an open letter to French president Emmanuel Macron and campaigns to sponsor Iranian prisoners on death row. Mirkhan has stated that the diaspora's role is "not to make the revolution, but to support the revolution".^[2]

Mirkhan has served as secretary general of House of Liberty, a civil society organization that advocates for human rights, women's rights, and political change in Iran and participates in international forums. Speaking at a European Parliament forum in Brussels, she drew attention to the worsening situation for women's rights in Iran. The event convened over 60 women's rights groups from across the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. ^[5][7]