Who Is Reza Pahlavi? Toppled Iranian Shah’s Son Says ‘Regime change’ is Only Solution, Offers to Take Power

With tensions rising between Iran, the US and Israel, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s deposed last shah, has offered to assume leadership of the country and guide it toward democracy, marking what he called would be a new era for Tehran, given “it is time for the lion and sun of Iran to rise again”.

A Regime on the Edge?

Addressing a press conference in Paris, Pahlavi claimed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah said Khamenei “has brought the country’s economy to the brink of destruction, plundered national infrastructure and resources, squandered the nation’s wealth to build nuclear weapons, shattered Iran’s security, and stolen national sovereignty from the Iranian people”. 

Stressing further that the current “regime has failed” and “is on the brink of collapse,” Pahlavi called on Iranians to end this destruction and begin a new era for Iran”. 

While insisting that he “doesn’t seek political power,” Pahlavi indicated his ambition is to “help our great nation pass through this pivotal hour to stability, freedom and justice.”

Is Iran Facing Its Own ‘Berlin Wall Moment’?

Calling the current-day situation in Tehran Iran’s “Berlin Wall moment,” he continued, “Today, more than ever, it is clear that the Islamic Republic is collapsing. Reliable reports indicate that Ali Khamenei’s family and the families of senior regime officials are preparing to flee Iran. The regime has reached the end of its tether in cities and villages across the country. The armed forces have disintegrated, the people have united, and the foundations of the 46-year-old dictatorship are shaking. This is our Berlin Wall moment.”

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‘If the West Throws Life Raft to Save Ayatollah Regime, Result Will Only Be Bloodshed and Chaos’

Pointing towards the West, he said, “If the West throws a life raft to save this regime, the result will only be more bloodshed and chaos, because this regime will neither surrender nor step aside after being humiliated. Rather, it will launch a retaliatory attack.”

No country will be safe if the current Iranian regime remains in power, he further said, while asserting that the only one way to achieve peace is to ensure “a secular and democratic Iran”.

Pahlavi Fled Iran Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution Toppled Shah’s Rule

Pahlavi fled Iran at age 17, just before the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled his father’s rule, according to a report published by The Associated Press. The Shah’s reign left many Iranians with bitter memories of repression and authoritarianism, which in turn complicates Pahlavi’s appeal today.

Reports suggest that his recent outreach to Israel, which is a highly sensitive topic in Iran, has also led some to reject him. 

Today, many of the Iranian opposition forces function largely from outside Iran, but they are not united, and it is uncertain how much control they have within Iran, particularly with the existing internet blockade restricting communication.

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Israel Warns Iranians to Stay Away From Weapons Production Facilities

Meanwhile, the Israeli army has warned Iranians to stay away from weapons production facilities and regime-affiliated military installations, per the AP report.

Earlier during the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to allay concerns around Trump’s recent remarks on possible regime change in Iran, and reiterated that “the president was simply asking a question that I believe a lot of people around the globe are asking.” She further stated, “If they would not engage in diplomacy in the future, why shouldn’t the Iranian people revolt against this ruthless terrorist regime?”

In an interview with ABC News, Leavitt referred to Iran as an “imminent threat” and lauded Trump as “the first president with the courage to actually do something about it.” She insisted that the recent US attacks “took away Iran’s capability to build a nuclear bomb,” while adding that the president would not have ordered the attacks “if we weren’t sure of that,” based on intelligence regarding enriched uranium kept at the attacked facilities.