Reza Pahlavi says he has accepted responsibility to guide Iran through a transitional period if the current government collapses, outlining plans for elections and renewed regional relations.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, announced that he has accepted the role of a potential transitional leader should the country’s current government fall, declaring that the Iranian people have called on him to guide a political transition after nearly five decades of Islamic Republic rule.
Pahlavi, whose father ruled Iran until the 1979 revolution that brought cleric Ayatollah Khomeneini to power, issued a lengthy statement outlining his vision for a transitional government and calling for regional cooperation if the current regime is removed.
The announcement comes amid escalating regional tensions and continued military strikes targeting Iran and its military infrastructure.
In his statement, Pahlavi sharply criticized the actions of the Islamic Republic and its involvement across the Middle East.
“The Islamic Republic has launched missiles at the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia,” he said. “It is targeting our Arab neighbors. These violations of their sovereignty are unacceptable, and we condemn them. But this is nothing new. This is who the Islamic Republic has always been, and this is why it must end.”
Pahlavi accused Iran’s leadership of fueling instability throughout the region over the past several decades.
“For nearly five decades, this terrorist regime has sown chaos and bloodshed across our region. It propped up Assad, turning Syria into a graveyard. It planted Hezbollah as a state within a state in Lebanon. It armed the Houthis to destabilize the Arabian Peninsula. It empowered militias in Iraq to undermine Iraqi sovereignty,” he said.
He added that the current geopolitical environment has weakened the foundations of the Iranian government.
“Now, however, the landscape has fundamentally shifted. Assad is gone. Hezbollah has been decimated. The regime’s military nuclear program has been set back. Its economy is in a freefall. The pillars of this regime’s aggression are crumbling.”
Pahlavi said the Iranian population has endured severe repression while resisting the government.
“The Iranian people have paid the price in blood to reach this moment. The regime massacred tens of thousands of my compatriots in just two days, but it didn’t break the people,” he said.
“Instead, the regime itself is breaking.”
He also pointed to Iran’s historical partnerships with Arab nations prior to the 1979 revolution.
“Before the revolution, Iran worked closely with Arab leaders, from King Faisal to Sheik Zahid to King Hussein to President Sadat. In Oman, my father helped Sultan Qabuz defend his country against insurgency. We were true partners then. We will be true partners again.”
Pahlavi said calls from Iranians both inside and outside the country led him to accept responsibility for guiding a potential transition away from the current government.
“The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone. I have accepted that responsibility,” he said.
He emphasized that any transitional authority would focus on stabilizing the country and allowing citizens to determine their future through democratic elections.
“My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilized, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box,” Pahlavi said.
He added that his approach would avoid purging the existing bureaucracy during a political transition.
“We will not repeat the mistakes of past transitions. We will avoid debaathification scenarios and maintain as many bureaucrats and public servants in transition as possible.”
Pahlavi also addressed governments across the Middle East, urging them to prepare for engagement with a future Iranian transitional government.
“Now, I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us, to prepare to recognize and engage our transitional government,” he said.
He said his goal would be to rebuild the country and normalize its international relationships.
“We will rebuild our nation not for expansion, but to serve the Iranian people. We will base our diplomatic relations not on exportation of ideology, but on mutual respect and shared interest.”
Pahlavi further said that reintegrating Iran into global trade and regional cooperation would be central to rebuilding the country’s economy.
“We will reintegrate into the regional and global economy to increase prosperity for the citizens of all of our nations.”
He concluded by urging regional partners to support a new path for Iran and its people.
“Standing with the Iranian people is not charity. It is a strategic investment in making our region one of the most stable, secure, and prosperous in the world. Together, we can build a Middle East our children will be proud to inherit.”
The statement quickly circulated online as the situation in Iran and the wider Middle East continues to evolve.
“JUST IN: Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi says he has accepted role as Iran’s transitional leader,” according to a report shared on social media.
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