Reza Pahlavi offers leadership for democratic transition in Iran's turmoil

In recent statements made from Paris, exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi has called for a democratic transition in Iran, emphasizing that the current regime is on the brink of collapse. He described this moment as Iran's 'Berlin Wall moment,' urging the Iranian people to unite against their government. Pahlavi criticized Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for reportedly hiding in a bunker while the U.S. carried out military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. He accused Khamenei of using Iranian citizens as human shields and warned that the regime will continue to seek nuclear weapons despite recent military actions aimed at curtailing their nuclear capabilities. To support military personnel seeking to defect from the regime, Pahlavi announced a secure platform, appealing to them to stand with the people rather than follow orders to suppress dissent. He asserted that a peaceful and democratic Iran would provide individual liberties, equality, and the separation of religion from state, with hopes for a roadmap to democracy determined by a national referendum. Pahlavi reached out not just to Iranians but also to the international community, urging them not to support a regime he described as corrupt and terrorist, predicting that if it were to be propped up, it would lead to further violence and chaos in both Iran and abroad.