Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s deposed shah, on Tuesday forcefully condemned any diplomatic framework that preserves the current Islamic government, AFP reported.
His remarks arrived as Washington finalized logistics to execute a landmark treaty with Tehran.
The 65-year-old crown prince delivered his critique following a series of briefings with Members of Parliament during an official visit to London. Pahlavi insisted that global powers should actively invest in grassroots opposition demonstrators rather than pursuing a diplomatic truce with the existing administration.
“Dealing with this regime will fail and we will all face the consequences,” he declared in a social media post.
He expanded on his warnings regarding the state’s historical behavior, adding, “The regime’s 47-year war against the Iranian people continues. Just as it has never made peace with its own citizens, it will never truly make peace with the world.”
Pahlavi’s father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, served as the last ruling shah of Iran before fleeing the country in 1979 on the eve of the Islamic Revolution, which permanently dismantled the monarchy. The former king passed away in exile shortly thereafter.
While the crown prince serves as an influential symbol for various factions opposing the current system, his status within the broader opposition movement is deeply divided. He has frequently advocated for a comprehensive, nationwide referendum to establish an entirely fresh model of governance.
However, he remains a polarizing figure, drawing regular criticism for his open alignment with Israel and his reluctance to explicitly disavow the autocratic excesses of his father’s reign.
US President Donald Trump has stopped short of fully endorsing Pahlavi as a potential future leader.
“He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump said, adding, “And we really aren’t up to that point yet. I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.”
Pahlavi’s comments follow the announcement of the US-Iran deal, which is expected to be signed alter this week. He strongly rejected the durability of such a compromise.
“Any agreement that preserves this regime or its remnants will fail. The Iranian people will not accept it,” Pahlavi warned.
He concluded with a defiant message regarding the inevitability of regime change, stating, “With or without international support, the people of Iran will overthrow this regime. Freedom will come to Iran.”
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