Prince Reza Pahlavi is calling for regime change in Iran, asserting that negotiations and agreements will not be effective in changing the country’s political structure. In an interview with the newspaper “Bild”, the son of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was deposed by the revolution in 1979, stated that Tehran’s “regime” is “repressive internally and aggressive externally.” Considered by royalists to be the heir to the Peacock throne, the prince added that the regime is not interested in coexisting with the West and desires to have its flag fly over the White House. Therefore, he believes that changing the behavior of the authorities in Tehran is a waste of time, and that regime change is necessary in Iran. He suggests implementing this through economic sanctions and supporting the opposition, such as organizing and financing workers’ strikes, which he believes are “very dangerous” for the government. He also proposes utilizing frozen regime funds abroad as necessary resources. However, Pahlavi categorically rejected any external military interference in Iran.
Pahlavi also stated that there will be no peace in the Middle East as long as the mullahs are in power in Iran, and that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue will be impossible. He expressed shock at the attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas against Israel, citing the Iranian regime’s culture of hatred, violence, and intolerance as the root cause. He believes that the Islamic Republic is actively preventing attempts at peace in the region and is working to thwart normalization between Israel and various Arab countries. Pahlavi also highlighted the regime’s attempts to divert attention from previous protests in the country, suggesting that the recent Hamas attack against Israel is part of this strategy. He noted that Iran is “intelligent enough” not to risk a direct war against Israel.
According to crown prince Reza Pahlavi, the Iranian “regime” desires “a Shiite caliphate in the region” and has been working to export its ideology since its inception. He stated that the authorities in Tehran do not even acknowledge Iran as a nation and have always focused on an Islamic world, with the goal of creating a Shiite caliphate in the region. Pahlavi also pointed out that over 60 percent of the Iranian population lives below the poverty line, despite the country’s significant oil reserves. He emphasized that the regime’s rhetoric does not align with the sentiments of the Iranian people. As an example, he mentioned that fans in Iran requested for Palestinian flags to be removed from the pitch during a football match following the attack by Hamas against Israel.