The former Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, called for an end to the Islamic Republic government to bring peace to the Middle East in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on October 7.
Pahlavi, whose family was exiled from Iran following the 1979 revolution, has called for an end to the current government in Tehran and the reinstatement of democracy in the nation.
After saying that Iran facilitated the October 7 attacks in Israel and fueled sectarian conflicts in countries across the Middle East, he also emphasized that this is “not the Iranian people’s war,” and promoted ousting the government and moving forward to regain peace.
He said, “So I say to you, our friends across the Middle East—our region deserves so much better. But in order to succeed, first, this regime, that has held us hostage for nearly half a century, must go.
“The Middle East is all too familiar with turmoil and upheaval. So, I know, you might fear change will bring chaos. But fear not—we will not allow a power vacuum to follow the collapse of this regime.
“I will step forward, at their [my compatriots’] call, to oversee this peaceful transition to democracy, and Iran’s return to the community of nations. Peace is neither a relic of history, nor a distant dream, it is a promise we owe to ourselves and our children, and together we can make it a reality.”
The video has since gone viral, and gained 7.1 million views, 49,000 likes, 21,000 reposts, and 7,300 comments, with the majority in support of the former crown prince.
In claiming the government is “using Palestinians as human shields,” the video address to regional powers seems to be in response to Iran’s claim that it is leading the war against Israel and the U.S.
Reza Pahlavi, former crown prince of Iran, in Washington D.C. on January 9, 2018. In a video statement posted to X, Pahlavi has called once again for an end to the Iranian regime in order to achieve peace in the Middle East.
Susan Walsh/Associated Press
Newsweek reached out to Pahlavi’s press office for comment via a form on his website.
This is not the first time that Pahlavi has issued calls to the Iranian people and global powers to bring about regime change.
In an article for British newspaper The Telegraph in July, Pahlavi encouraged the U.K. government to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group.
Pahlavi also spoke at the National Conservatism Conference in July and warned the U.S. against launching military operations in Iran, as he said, “We are not seeking your intervention. We are not seeking your charity. I am not here to ask for your permission to get rid of the Islamic Republic. Nor am I here to ask you to do it for us (…) The soon to be free Iran, doesn’t seek your patronage. It seeks your partnership. It doesn’t seek your funding. It seeks your friendship.”
He also organized protests against Tehran’s government in 2023 and participated in the protests outside the Iranian Consulate in Los Angeles.
Newsweek has reached out to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment via email.
Pahlavi is the founder and leader of the Iran National Council for Free Elections, a political group that promotes democracy in the country.
He also pushed his message of ousting the current government during an interview with Fox News on Sunday, saying that a change could mean the end to global problems, including the nuclear threat, rising oil prices, and more.
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