Regime change in Iran will pave the way for Mideast peace, exiled prince says

Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi says Iran is closer than ever to a regime change, a shift he believes the world must support as it will transform not only the country, but also help bring peace and stability to the broader Middle East.

“The regime is collapsing. This is the weakest it has ever been since coming to power,” Reza Pahlavi told Iran International. “Even their own insiders, from the military and intelligence sectors, are telling us it’s falling apart.”

Pahlavi emphasized that this moment could become “a historic opportunity” for Iranians. “The people who have suffered under the bombs and the regime’s neglect still hope this pain will lead to the birth of a free and desirable government that they deserve.”

The exiled crown prince made the remarks in an interview with Iran International’s Morad Vaisi, amid an Israeli military campaign against the Islamic Republic and a day after US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

No need for foreign boots or money

Pahlavi rejected any suggestion that foreign powers should shape Iran’s future. “We don’t want your boots or your money. What we need is recognition that the solution is the Iranian people—not negotiations with the regime.”

"The world will see that it’s in their own interest to get behind this cause—so that Iran becomes the country that brings stability, order, peace, and security to the region."

The exiled prince expressed sorrow over damage caused to national infrastructure, including air bases and the American F-14s and F-5s bought during his father's rule before 1979, but laid the blame squarely on the Islamic Republic.

“This war is not the people’s war. It’s Khamenei’s war. And the price is being paid by the Iranian people,” he said.

He called on military and security personnel to defect. “The sooner they break away from this regime, the faster we can stop this destruction,” he said.

“These bases and infrastructures can be rebuilt—for the people, not for a regime that used them to fund its nuclear and proxy wars.”

Internet blackout

It has been four days that the Iranian people have lost their access to the internet, and the country has remained largely offline, according to the internet observatory NetBlocks.

Pahlavi said that the Islamic Republic has shut down the people's access to the internet because it fears its own citizens more than foreign attack.

"After 72 hours, diminished telecoms continue to impact the public's ability to stay informed and in touch with loved ones," Netblocks said.

The exiled prince said the internet blackout "is a sign of panic—not strength.”

“When the Supreme Leader hides like a rat in a hole and his family prepares to flee the country, it’s clear they know the end is near."

No civil war, no summary executions

Responding to concerns about post-collapse chaos, Pahlavi said, “We are not Iraq or Afghanistan. We are a nation with millennia of unity. If there’s rule of law and justice, there will be no anarchy.”

On the day after the Islamic Republic falls, he promised a lawful transition. “Unlike 1979, there will be no summary executions. Transitional justice experts are working to ensure fair trials. Everyone will have the right to defend themselves.”

He made clear that soldiers who join the people now will be part of rebuilding the country. “We will not repeat 1979. This time, we’re building a democratic system, one that guarantees equal rights for all Iranians—regardless of religion, ethnicity, or belief.”