Exiled prince Pahlavi says ready for interim rule
Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi said on Thursday that the opportunity was ripe for the end of the nearly half-century rule of the Islamic Republic that replaced his father, saying he was ready to assume temporary leadership.
"Global and regional developments have presented us with a new opportunity to reclaim and save our beloved Iran," Pahlavi said in a video message on X, without elaborating.
"At your call, I am ready to guide this change and lead the transitional period. My ability stems from your strength," he added, saying he was dedicated to "establishing a national government in Iran and garnering maximum global support to achieve it."
Pahlavi, who resides in the United States, is the most prominent figure in Iran's fractured opposition and has for years been calling for the downfall of the ruling system in Tehran.
The remarks were his most direct yet presenting himself as a potential successor, but did not directly address how the current authorities might be removed.
Israel and the Islamic Republic have confronted each other in a cycle of tit-for-tat aerial bombardments this year, in unprecedented direct military encounters which some opponents believe may herald the Islamic Republic's downfall.
The election of Donald Trump as US President has also fueled hopes among Tehran's detractors that tougher sanctions could dislodge Iran's theocratic rulers.
