The son of Iran’s last shah, Reza Pahlavi, called on US President Donald Trump to help the Iranian people, declaring that “the time has come to end the Islamic Republic”. TASR writes about it based on the reports of the AFP and AP agencies.
- Rezá Pahlavi called on Trump to help the Iranians against the regime.
- He wants to end the Islamic Republic and supports the protests in Iran.
- Pahlavi’s supporters demand the return of the monarchy and are protesting abroad.
- Trump suggested that regime change in Iran would be the best solution.
- Pahlavi declared that he does not ask for power, but wants to be a bridge.
Pahlavi: The Iranian people believe you that help is on the way
“To President Trump … the Iranian people have heard you say that help is on the way and they believe you. Help them,” Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the US, told reporters at the Munich Security Conference.
“It is time to end the Islamic Republic. This is the demand that echoes from the bloodshed of my countrymen,” Pahlavi added, referring to the recent mass protests that have gripped Iran.
At the same time, Pahlavi has called for demonstrations in Munich, Los Angeles and Toronto and is asking his supporters to take to the streets and push for “concrete steps in support of the Iranian people.”
Trump: Regime change in Iran would be the best thing that could happen
Iranian officials are already facing intense pressure and threats of military intervention from US President Donald Trump. The head of the White House wants Tehran to further curb its nuclear program. He suggested on Friday that regime change in the country “would be the best thing that could happen”.
At the end of December, mass protests broke out in Iran due to the deepening economic crisis, which quickly spread throughout the country in opposition to the authoritarian government. The government in Tehran brutally suppressed the protests. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the US, estimated on Thursday that the number of victims of security forces’ interventions exceeded 7,000.
Pahlavi is said to have no power ambitions
Many people at the protests expressed their support for Pahlavi and demanded the return of the monarchy. At the same time, the crown prince declared that he is ready to become a transitional leader in the event of the fall of the current theocratic regime. In Munich, however, he denied that his goal was power ambitions. “I have no personal ambitions. I don’t want power. I don’t want a crown or a title on my head. But I think I should be seen as a bridge to that goal, not the goal itself,” he said.
Shah’s son, living in the USA for a long time, is considered the most famous figure of the Iranian opposition abroad. However, according to AFP, it remains extremely divided and Pahlavi is criticized for his support for Israel. Moreover, he never distanced himself from his father’s authoritarian regime.
