The exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, says he is preparing to return to his homeland as nationwide protests threaten the survival of the Islamist regime in Tehran and open what he calls a historic opportunity for partnership with the United States.
According to WND, Pahlavi, who last set foot in Iran in July 1978 before the fall of his fathers government, used a recent appearance on Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to deliver a pointed appeal to President Donald Trump and to the American people.
Its been a long time, but Ill be there soon, he vowed, framing the current unrest as a potential turning point after four decades of clerical rule that has crushed dissent at home while exporting terror abroad.
Pahlavi directly addressed Trump, praising the presidents record and contrasting it sharply with that of his Democratic predecessors, whom many conservatives blame for empowering Tehrans rulers through appeasement and cash transfers. Mr. President, you have already established your legacy as a man committed to peace and fighting evil forces, Pahlavi began, adding, Theres a reason why people in Iran are renaming streets after your name. They know that youre total opposite to Barack Obama or Joe Biden. They know that youre not going to throw them under the bus as they have had before.
He argued that Trumps unapologetic stance against the mullahs has emboldened ordinary Iranians who are risking their lives in the streets, in stark contrast to the Obama-era strategy of courting the regime while largely ignoring its victims.
This why they believe that they are empowered by the hope that you have their back. Your words of solidarity with the Iranian people and your administration has had tremendous positive effect. Lets hope that we can permanently seal this legacy by liberating Iran so that we and you can make Iran great again. Lets partner on this and have a better future for our countries and for our people. This is an opportunity that has presented itself.
Trump himself has signaled a willingness to confront Tehran if it turns its guns on peaceful demonstrators, underscoring a doctrine of deterrence that many on the right see as long overdue. On Jan. 2, the president warned that if Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.
Pahlavi said he is not merely cheering from the sidelines but actively preparing for a post-regime future, positioning himself to help guide a transition away from theocracy and toward representative government. The crown prince said he is prepared to return to Iran at the first possible opportunity. Im already planning that on the transition team.
He stressed that Iranians understand the cost of freedom and are prepared to pay it, rejecting the fatalism that has too often characterized Western policy toward the Islamic Republic. We hope only that the Iranian people this time will be victorious and they will be because I know that Iranians are prepared to die for this cause and so am I.
For Pahlavi, the stakes are not merely political but civilizational, as he called for the complete dismantling of the revolutionary regime and the restoration of basic peace and normalcy. He indicated both he and the Iranian people want to make sure that all the evil that has been brought by this regime from the time it came to power dissipates and we can finally breathe in an atmosphere of tranquility.
He envisions a structured transition that could last up to two years, culminating in free and fair electionsan outcome that would mark a dramatic reversal of the 1979 revolution and a major strategic gain for the United States and its allies. Pahlavi says hes ready and willing to act in a government transition that could be a two-year process, with free and fair elections being the ultimate goal. As I said, Im here to lead. But the choice is that of the people, he explained. We need to make sure that this time the Iranian people are successful.
The prince used stark language to describe what he believes must happen to the ruling clerical establishment, which he views as a menace not only to Iranians but to American and regional interests.
We need to cut the snakes head off for good so it can no longer be a threat to Iranian interests, to American interests, to regional interests, and the only solution is to make sure that this regime goes down for good and the Iranian people can liberate themselves. Because they are contrary to this regime that is a sworn enemy of America. We Iranians are a friend to America. Weve proved it before and well prove it again.
On Capitol Hill, some Republicans are echoing that sense of historic urgency, arguing that the protests represent a rare chance to weaken a chief sponsor of terrorism without deploying American troops. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Bartiromo the protesting in Iran is the biggest deal since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Graham emphasized that the Iranian public has clearly turned against the ruling ayatollahs and warned of dire consequences if the regime survives this latest challenge. The people dont want the ayatollah anymore, he continued, but added if the Islamic ayatollah stays in power, Itd be the biggest disaster in the Mideast in maybe forever.
Login