Exiled prince rejects exclusion, defends broad opposition base

Democracy is about inclusion, not eliminating options in advance, exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, arguing that Iran’s future political system should be decided by voters rather than predetermined by political factions.

“Democracy is not about exclusion, it’s about inclusion, unless you are not in conformity with democratic principles,” Pahlavi said, adding that both republics and constitutional monarchies can succeed or fail depending on how they are practiced.

Responding to criticism that he does not represent all Iranians, Pahlavi said he does not claim unanimous support but argued that his name has been widely chanted inside Iran. “I’m not saying that I have 100% of people on my side. Of course, I have my enemies,” he said.

He said groups that do not adhere to his four stated principles, including separatists, pro-regime reformists and Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), are not part of his coalition. However, he described his supporters as diverse, including republicans and monarchists, people across the political spectrum and representatives of ethnic and religious communities.

“My position is neutral towards the outcome,” he said, adding that Iranians should determine their preferred system “by the ballot box” in a free election whose results all sides respect.

Pahlavi also criticized the Islamic Republic’s electoral system, saying there are no genuine free elections in Iran and that presenting them as such is “a mockery of democracy.”