Reza Pahlavi has argued that sustained pressure from abroad, combined with internal unrest, could bring an end to clerical rule.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Reza Pahlavi, an exiled Iranian opposition figure and the son of Iran’s last shah, said Saturday that US military action against Iran could hasten the collapse of the country’s clerical leadership and ultimately save lives, urging President Donald Trump not to prolong negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.
In remarks to Reuters at the Munich Security Conference, where Iranian government officials are barred from attending, Pahlavi said he believes Iran’s ruling system is increasingly fragile and vulnerable to decisive external pressure.
He warned that extended diplomacy could allow the authorities time to suppress dissent and reassert control.
“It’s a matter of time. We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process, and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime’s downfall,” Pahlavi told Reuters.
Pahlavi has lived outside Iran since before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew his father, Mohammad Reza Shah, and is now based in the United States.
He has positioned himself as a leading voice for regime change, arguing that sustained pressure from abroad, combined with internal unrest, could bring an end to clerical rule.
Iran has experienced renewed nationwide protests following demonstrations that began on Dec. 28 in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over economic hardship.
What started as a limited protest in the capital quickly spread across the country, reflecting broader anger over economic conditions and governance.
Iranian authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown that included mass arrests and intimidation.
According to information cited by Reuters, thousands of people have been detained as officials attempt to prevent further unrest after last month’s crackdown, which followed the bloodiest period of protests since the 1979 revolution.