Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi has issued a provocative call to the Iranian military, declaring it their final opportunity to resist the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pahlavi has also called upon the international community to support the collapse of the regime, asserting that it is nearing collapse. In a post on X, Pahlavi stated that military personnel are being watched and that the international community will remember who stood with the people and who committed crimes against them. The exiled prince also announced the launch of a secure platform for military, police, and security personnel wishing to defect from the regime to contact him and his team. In a direct message to Khamenei, Pahlavi said, ‘Step down. And if you do, you will receive a fair trial and due process of law. Which is more than you have ever given any Iranian.’ Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah of Iran, was overthrown during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. He had also spoken at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, where he called for international action against Khamenei’s regime and said Iranians were ready to reclaim their ‘stolen country.’
The message posted on X comes one day after Pahlavi proposed that he lead Iran to democracy. He said it is the Iranian people’s ‘Berlin Wall moment,’ as the future of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime remains uncertain following the destruction of Tehran’s nuclear program. Khamenei was reportedly hiding in a bunker during the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Pahlavi’s late father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, was overthrown during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. In February, Pahlavi spoke at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, where he called for international action against Khamenei’s regime and said Iranians were ready to reclaim their ‘stolen country.’ In a direct message to Khamenei, Pahlavi said, ‘Step down. And if you do, you will receive a fair trial and due process of law. Which is more than you have ever given any Iranian.’ Pahlavi’s message has sparked a range of responses from the international community, with some calling for the regime to be supported and others to remain neutral.
Despite the potential risk, Pahlavi is pushing forward with his campaign for regime change, saying that the Iranian people are ready to reclaim their country and that the international community must support this effort. While the outcome remains uncertain, the situation continues to capture global attention.