Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s late shah, has called for regime change in Tehran, saying that the Islamic Republic is nearing collapse and that it’s time for Iranians to “reclaim Iran.” Amid heightened tensions with Israel, he sharply criticised Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claiming he had “gone into hiding underground” and lost control of the country.
Pahlavi described the situation as “irreversible.”
“The Islamic Republic has come to its end and is collapsing. What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together we will turn the page of history. Now is the time to stand up; the time to reclaim Iran. May I be with you soon,” he said in a post on X, sharing a video that highlighted the regime’s downfall and Khamenei’s alleged disappearance.
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In the video, Pahlavi reflected on his past efforts to prevent war in Iran, saying, “The end of Islamic Republic is the end of 46-year-war against the Iranian nation.”
He said that the regime’s apparatus of repression is falling apart. All it takes now is a nationwide uprising to put an end to this nightmare once and for all.
“Now is the time to rise; the time to reclaim Iran. Let us all come forward—from Bandar Abbas to Bandar Anzali, from Shiraz to Isfahan, from Tabriz to Zahedan, from Mashhad to Ahvaz, from Shahr-e Kord to Kermanshah—and bring about the end of this regime,” Pahalvi said.
His remarks come as Israel, after five consecutive days of missile strikes, claims to have inflicted significant damage on Iran and believes it is now in a position to deliver a lasting blow to Tehran’s nuclear programme.
‘Iran will not descend into civil war or instability’
Reza Pahlavi, addressing concerns of unrest, reassured Iranians that the country would not plunge into chaos after the fall of the Islamic Republic. “Do not fear the day after the fall of the Islamic Republic. Iran will not descend into civil war or instability. We have a plan for Iran’s future and its flourishing. We are prepared for the first hundred days after the fall, for the transitional period, and for the establishment of a national and democratic government—by the Iranian people and for the Iranian people,” he said.
In a message to state forces, Pahlavi appealed directly to military, police, and government employees: “To the military, law enforcement, security forces, and state employees—many of whom have been sending me messages in recent days—I say: Do not stand against the Iranian people for the sake of a regime whose fall has begun and is inevitable. Do not sacrifice yourselves for a decaying regime. By standing with the people, you can save your lives. Play a historic role in the transition from the Islamic Republic, and take part in building the future of Iran.”
He concluded with a message of hope: “A free and flourishing Iran lies ahead of us. May we be together soon.”
Earlier, Pahlavi had strongly criticized Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holding him responsible for pulling Iran into conflict with Israel. “It could fall. As I have told my compatriots: Iran is yours and yours to reclaim. I am with you. Stay strong and we will win,” he said.
“I have told the military, police, and security forces: break from the regime. Honor the oath of any honorable serviceman. Join the people.”
“To the international community: do not throw yet another lifeline to this dying, terrorist regime,” he added.
Who is Reza Pahalvi?
Reza Pahlavi was the crown prince during Iran’s pro-Western monarchy, which was overthrown in the 1979 revolution that ushered in the Islamic Republic led by clerics.
Now living in exile near Washington, Pahlavi has said he does not necessarily seek a return to monarchy but wants to leverage his name to back the push for a secular democracy.
While Israel views the Islamic Republic as an existential threat, it had close ties with Iran under the rule of Pahlavi’s father, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Reza Pahlavi himself has maintained warm ties with Israel, including a visit there two years ago, AFP reported.
Members of the Iranian diaspora who support the monarchy — often seen waving the old imperial flag — have been visible in pro-Israel demonstrations since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks.
Pahlavi has often labelled the Islamic Republic as fragile, particularly during the 2022 mass protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating dress codes
