Following Ayatollah Khamenei’s death in US-Israeli strikes, Reza Pahlavi —the son of the last Shah of Iran— has pitched himself as the country’s next leader and claimed ‘millions of Iranians inside and outside Iran are calling my name’ and see him as a transitional figure.
Following Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in US‑Israeli strikes, Reza Pahlavi —the son of the last Shah of Iran, has pitched himself as the country’s next leader.
In an interview with CBS News’ ‘60 Minutes’, Pahlavi claimed that “millions of Iranians inside and outside Iran are calling my name” and see him as a transitional figure. He said he wants to steer Iran towards democracy.
“They [Iranians] trust me as a transitional leader. Not as the future king, or future president, or future whatever. I’m totally focused on my mission in life, which is: let me bring the country to a point where they can make that free choice. That would be enough for me, having said ‘mission accomplished’,” said Pahlavi.
Despite his claim to Iran’s leadership, Pahlavi does not command any meaningful movement inside Iran. Analysts have said that Iranians’ disgruntlement with Khamenei’s regime and the unfulfilled promises of the Islamic Revolution does not necessarily translate into support for Pahlavi.
ALSO READ:
As Trump piles pressure on Iran, son of last Shah calls for regime change — with 6 demands
Pahlavi, 65, has lived outside Iran for nearly five decades. Beyond pockets of influence in the Iranian diaspora —particularly dissidents— and foreign policy and security hawks in the West, he does not have a mass movement to enthrone him.
With Trump’s backing, Pahlavi seeks to be Iran’s leader
With US President Donald Trump’s backing, Pahlavi said that he wants to make Iran a secular democracy that respects individual freedoms.
Influential figures in Trump’s Maga movement have put their weight behind Pahlavi, even though he has been cautious not to explicitly endorse them. He said last month that Pahlavi “seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country”.
Pahlavi said that he does not expect Trump’s explicit endorsement but urged him to put his weight behind his claim.
“I don’t think that somebody in my position will ever expect to have an official endorsement of a foreign government or a foreign leader. What I do know now is that millions of Iranians inside Iran and outside of Iran are calling my name. They recognise in me the person uniquely placed to play a role of transitional leadership,” said Pahlavi.
ALSO READ —
From friends to foes: Here’s how Islamic Revolution changed Israel-Iran relationship
In a sharp cry from his father’s regime, which was known for political repression and the concentration of wealth, Pahlavi listed four fundamental values for Iran under his rule: respect for Iran’s territorial integrity; a clear separation of religion from the state; equality of all citizens under the law and individual liberties; and electoral democracy, which he described as the “most important” of the four pillars.
As for secularism, Pahlavi said that it would be a “prerequisite to democracy” and that Iranians have paid the price for a theocratic regime and know “what it means to live under a religious dictatorship”.
End of Article
