Exiled prince Reza Pahlavi urges Iranian armed forces to join the people

Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, accused Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of dragging the country into a war that does not reflect the will of the Iranian people, calling the current conflict "Khamenei’s war, not Iran’s."

In a statement shared online, Pahlavi appealed directly to Iran’s military, police, and intelligence personnel, urging them to "separate yourselves from this corrupt and incompetent leadership" and "join the people." He said that the Islamic Republic's leadership “values neither your lives nor the future of Iran.”

Pahlavi characterized the country’s broader crisis as a struggle between the Iranian nation and the ruling system. “The solution is the overthrow of the Islamic Republic through street protests and nationwide strikes,” he said.

Concluding his message, Pahlavi said he stood with Iranians “in these difficult moments” and voiced optimism that “together we will prevail.”