Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran in exile, believes that the Iranian regime is close to collapse; for years, he has been urging this outcome, addressing the people of Iran on social media and through interviews on American and European television. His hope for the future of his country is a parliamentary democracy, where — but only if he is asked, for he has repeatedly said he will not try to foist himself on the nation — he would be a limited monarch like the British royals, a unifying symbol of the nation, but not an absolute ruler like his father. He has consistently declared his support for Israel, has even published a photograph of himself meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Now he has posted on social media a call for the people of Iran to help put an end to the regime, saying it is now in close to collapsing. More on Reza Pahlavi’s call to his people can be found here: “Khamenei is like frightened rat, time to reclaim Iran: Exiled prince Reza Pahlavi,” India Today, June 18, 2025:
Amid a spiralling conflict with Israel and deepening unrest at home, exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi has issued a call for regime change in Tehran, declaring that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has “gone into hiding underground” and that the Islamic Republic is “in the process of collapsing.”
How is it “collapsing”? Let us count the ways. The government has been unable to prevent mass panic, with hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even millions, of Tehranis, trying to flee the city, as they had been warned to do by the IDF. The regime has been unable to protect any of the major nuclear sites that the Israelis have struck at Natanz and Isfahan, along with a dozen smaller sites around the country. It could not prevent the IDF from destroying military bases in Tabriz and Hamadan, or from destroying ballistic missile factories, or ballistic missiles themselves when they were just about to be launched. Nine of its most senior nuclear scientists, and at least eleven of its highest-ranking generals in both the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the Iranian army, have been assassinated. The IDF has obliterated command-and-control centers, and military intelligence offices, throughout Iran. On June 18, the IDF destroyed Iran’s internal security headquarters, making it much harder for the Iranian government to monitor and prosecute regime dissidents. By that day the IDF reported that it had hit 1,100 targets inside Iran, and it is ramping up for even more strikes in the days to come.
“The Islamic Republic has reached its end,” Pahlavi said in a social media post. “What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together, we will pass through this sharp turn in history.”
His remarks come as anti-regime sentiment mounts across Iran in the wake of airstrikes and political turmoil. Pahlavi, son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, is urging Iranians to rise up from “Bandar Abbas to Bandar Anzali, from Shiraz to Isfahan,” in what he says is the final chapter of the Islamic Republic.
KHAMENEI IS LIKE A FRIGHTENED RAT, SAYS PAHLAVI
He portrayed Khamenei as a weakened, panicked leader: “Khamenei, like a frightened rat, has gone into hiding underground and has lost control of the situation.”…
As the conflict between Israel and Iran enters its fifth day, US President Donald Trump is carefully weighing the United States’ possible responses. With tensions escalating rapidly, Trump is consulting with his national security team to consider various options to join Israel’s ongoing strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to US media reports.
Reza Pahlavi is a sensible man, who has had 46 years in exile to think about Iran, its history ancient and modern, and what the country could reasonably be expected to become, once the monstrous current regime collapses. His call for Iranians to welcome the regime’s downfall, and to do everything they can to hasten its end, makes sense. He promises to be a modest figurehead, reigning but not ruling, akin to King Charles, or the reigning monarchs in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. He’s won me over. What about you?
Wellington says
I enjoy thinking of the Supreme Nothing as a frightened rat. So deserving.
Billy says
This is Islam and its Muslims, martyrdom for Allah; so, do not be deceived because Islam and its believers are the true threat in their martyrdom for Allah as taught in the Quran(Quran 9:5, 29, 111, etc.).
Allah in Quran 9:111 says, “Surely Allah has purchased from the believers[Muslims] their souls and their money so that they may have the garden[Heavenly Paradise]. They engage in war for the sake of Allah[ie. Allah’s Cause), so they kill and are killed…”. Sahih Bukhari 3126 says, “… the Prophet said, He who fights so that Allah’s Word(ie. Islam) should be superior, fights for Allah’s Cause.”
Patrick says
Pahlavi would be a good, sound choice but, the Iranians must decide and what about the remaining Khomeini supporters? How do you find them all? Opposing Islamic forces are always a threat. Whoever controls Iran in the end, must have a reasonable sized military to defend itself from radical Islamic revolutionaries, so prevalent in the Middle East!
sporticus says
“a good sound choice”?
Who chooses whom?
Isabella Hale says
Yes. I heard him speak. 🙂 I am praying for the Iranian people
Rarely says
It would be interesting to see how long a parliamentary democracy would survive in an islamic country.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
You missed a report here on JihadWatch on 2 occasions of a survey by GAMAAN, an Iranian survey group, that polled 50,000 Iranians all over the country using some very secure and private channels. They surveyed Iranians in 2020, and found out that <40% of all Iranians still follow islam of any sect. Bulk are atheists or agnostics, and then there are Zoroastrians, Christians and Jews
So hopefully, Iran would openly become not just non-islamic, but also a non-muslim country. Given their experience, they should ban the public practice of islam given the last 46 years. As for whether they should become a monarchy or a republic, I'd leave it up to them. The only thing I hold against the Pahlavis is that unlike the bulk of their compatriots, they haven't openly apostatized from islam
Tom Franczak says
Under the Shah, Iran was a pro-Western secular monarchy.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
At the time, there was a substantial number of his people who were shi’a theocrats, who managed to capture power after overthrowing him, and the population of Iran then was indeed 95% or more. That’s completely different today: something like at least 60% of Iranians are now non-muslim, and so there would be a lot more support for Iran becoming secular
One thing about the Pahlavis though: at the time, they too used to sponsor mosque building activity in non-muslim countries, and were allied w/ Pakistan (although nowhere near that of neighboring Saudi Arabia). This time, hopefully, they cut it out, and focus all their economic resources in rebuilding Iran, instead of trying to spread shi’a islam anywhere in the world, Iran included
sporticus says
Another Prince Charlie type claims a Royal Throne (although nothing bonnie).
After 40 years.
Another beefy-faced middle-age princeling, marinated for decades in Veuve Cliqout churned with pate de fois gras.
Unoriginal.
Will the Iranians cheer the return of unelected royalty or will they wake up that this is 2025 and not 1725?
What next? Someone called George of notable descent arrives with a flotilla in Boston Harbor and sets out on a march to the White House waving a bundle of parchment documents?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Not sure. I like what MbS and the Emirati royals are doing in their countries – weakening the hold of clerics. In Iran’s case, it seems that there is popular support for the Pahlavis, but since they have male only succession and he has 3 daughters but no sons, his next in line, should they go that route, would be his cousin Patrick Ali Pahlavi, who’s actually older than him but does have 3 sons
I too am leaning towards Iran remaining a republic, just not an islamic one. Whether it is a constitutional or executive monarchy is up to them
tgusa says
If things go really sour the assholatollah can always flee to Russia. That is where all these hated by their own people nefarious characters go these days, right? I have a hope that in the future the western leaders that are destroying their own countries though islamization will flee to Russia. Wouldn’t that be rich. One day they are supporting the Ukraine against Russia the next day they are running for their lives to Russia. But now that they have pissed off the Russians they probably wont be welcome there. They will have to flee to Pakistan, Syria, or some such place. I hope they enjoy their new home. I hope they get the full islam treatment. It is what they asked for they should get it.
Westman says
I think his father ruined the imprimitur of the Pahlavi name and it cannot be recovered. I was teaching Physics labs to Iranian students before the 1979 revolution and the things of which they accused the Pahlavi government were murderous. Whether true or false they were persuaded that Pahlavi has to go, but were ignorant of what the nation would become under Khomeini, starting with their unexpected recall from American universities.
These students spoke both Farsi and English, were well western-dressed, conservative haircuts, the young ladies wore makeup, there were no tatoos, and they appeared like any serious wholesome western student. There was no Allahu Ackbar or need to run off for prayers. They loved being in America. It was sad to see them recalled and sent to be cannon fodder in the 8-years war.
A king is not a good road to Democracy and it’s no longer very UK-promoting to watch theirs.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I tend to agree w/ you, although there is a lot of support for Reza Pahlavi. But I do think it’s important that the people who come to power in Iran be murtads – apostates, and Reza ain’t one. That’s why maybe retain Iran’s current executive structure, but scrap the Guardian Council. Also de-islamize the names of their institutions – the Ministry of Agricultural jihad would just become the Ministry of Agriculture. No jihad
Only thing here – name recognition is important, and I’m not sure what major name other than Pahlavi has captured the imagination of most Iranians. Once this regime goes, maybe we’ll find out
Burnaby Lad says
Go Iran, turn them loose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR3Liudev18
tracie koehler says
Praying for regime change !
Bruce Wayne says
Don’t pray too hard for Pahlavi. Someone I knew told me that the Shah and his wife competed with each other for bribes. And he knew from personal experience.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
This guy is their son. At any rate, as Hugh pointed out, he’d head a constitutional monarchy, where his power would be mainly symbolic, like King Charles. In such a setup, it will be upto the elected government to decide what his income should be