Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, has said the Islamic Republic is nearing collapse and called on Iranians to “reclaim and rebuild” the country.
As Israel continues its bombardment of Iran, Pahlavi, who for decades has opposed the regime in his home country from abroad, said in a video message on social media that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had gone into hiding “like a frightened rat.”
Nazenin Ansari, managing editor of Kayhan London, a weekly Persian-language digital newspaper based in London, told Newsweek on Wednesday that Pahlavi’s words will resonate among Iranians because “he is a figure above politics.”
Newsweek has contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry for comment.
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Why It Matters
Amid speculation over whether the U.S. might get involved as Israel tries to destroy the Islamic Republic’s nuclear capabilities, Pahlavi’s video is both a call for revolution and an attempt to reassure Iranians that their country will not descend into civil war or instability.
What To Know
In a video lasting three minutes and four seconds posted on Tuesday, Pahlavi said that the Islamic Republic had reached its end and is in the process of collapsing.
He referred to reports that Khamenei had gone into hiding underground, saying that the Supreme Leader had “lost control of the situation” and that “what has begun is irreversible.”
He said that the ruling regime’s apparatus of repression was falling apart and a nationwide uprising was required for people to “reclaim Iran” and “put an end to this nightmare once and for all.”
Ansari told Newsweek that Pahlavi does not represent only one political party and as his image is above politics, his message could unite Iran’s opposition.
Political figures from inside Iran also reach out to Pahlavi ahead of any other opposition figure, which shows the degree of his influence and popularity, she added.
Who Is Reza Pahlavi?
Born in Tehran on October 31, 1960, Pahlavi is the exiled son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, who was toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought clerical leaders to power and led to the creation of the Islamic Republic.
In 1978, aged 17, he left Iran for jet fighter training in the United States Air Force at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas, during the period of unrest that preceded the revolution, according to his website.
He has been in exile since 1979 and has said he does not advocate for the restoration of the Iranian monarchy, instead pushing for a secular, democratic alternative.
Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward wrote in 1986 that Pahlavi and other Iranian exiles had the backing of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and reports since then have also alleged this. However, Pahlavi told The New York Times in 2009 such claims were “unequivocally false” and denied getting U.S. government aid.
The Islamic Republic has come to its end and is collapsing. What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together we will turn the page of history. Now is the time to stand up; the time to reclaim Iran. May I be with you soon. pic.twitter.com/qrbnDmf8SX
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) June 17, 2025
“When you look at Iran from an institutional perspective, you’ve got the institution of religion and then historically speaking, the institution of monarchy,” said Ansari. “He represents the monarchy although he is not saying he wants to return as king.”
“He’s the one figure that has been opposing the Islamic Republic in standing for secular democracy for the past 46 years,” said Ansari. “He has a lot of support amongst Republicans and Democrats who are Iran-focused.”
In his video, which as of Wednesday had received more than 5.8 million views, Pahlavi said he had a five-point plan that outlined the path to toppling the regime and establishing a national government, as well as a roadmap for Iran’s economic reconstruction through the “Iran Prosperity Project.”
What People Are Saying
Reza Pahlavi in a video posted to X: “Now is the time to rise; the time to reclaim Iran.”
Nazenin Ansari, managing editor of Kayhan London and Kayhan Life, told Newsweek that Pahlavi has been talking about “a transition from the Islamic Republic to prepare the grounds for referendum, for people to decide in free election what form of government they want.”
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday: “God will certainly and surely make the Iranian nation…victorious.”
What Happens Next
Khamenei was defiant saying on Wednesday direct U.S. participation will “result in irreparable damage for them” amid speculation over what President Donald Trump will do.