In a video message launched on October 7, 2024, coinciding with the anniversary of Hamas’s lethal assault on Israel, exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi addressed “buddies of Iran throughout the Middle East,” assuring them that no energy vacuum or chaos would ensue following the autumn of the Islamic Republic. He expressed his readiness to meet his “responsibility” in overseeing a peaceable transition to democracy in Iran.
In the English-language video, subtitled in Persian, Arabic, and Hebrew, Pahlavi emphasised the wealthy cultural heritage of the Middle East, referencing historic figures resembling Cyrus the Great and Moses. He highlighted the area’s legacy of visionary leaders, together with Anwar Sadat, King Hussein, Menachem Begin, King Faisal, and his father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who pursued peace for his or her nations.
Pahlavi criticized the present Iranian regime, stating that for 45 years, it has held the nation hostage, exporting its revolutionary ideology and inflicting instability all through the area. He accused the regime of facilitating the October 7 assault, fueling sectarian conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen, and trying to undermine regional governments. He asserted that these actions have introduced the Middle East to the brink of regional battle, a battle he described as “not the battle of the Iranian individuals, however the battle of Ali Khamenei and his regime.”
Addressing issues about potential chaos following the regime’s collapse, Pahlavi reassured regional neighbors {that a} broad coalition of patriotic Iranians, each inside and outdoors the nation, is ready to serve the nation and set up peace with neighboring international locations. He declared his readiness to supervise a peaceable transition to democracy and facilitate Iran’s reintegration into the worldwide group.
This message has garnered important consideration in media and on-line platforms, reflecting Pahlavi’s ongoing efforts to place himself as a central determine in Iran’s pro-democracy motion and to alleviate regional apprehensions relating to Iran’s future post-regime change.