“They are not pragmatists; they are not reformers,” he said, referring to lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his speech at the Haus der Bundespressekonferenz. “Neither are the IRGC killers behind the curtains.”
Pahlavi was in Berlin for meetings with German lawmakers and members of the press as part of a European trip focused on Iran’s political future.
The Iranian prince warned that continued rule by the Islamic Republic would lead to further conflict in the region as the authorities will continue to pose threats to the people, the region, and beyond as long as they remain in power.
“For 47 years, the world has known Iran through the actions of a regime that took a great nation hostage,” Pahlavi said. “No deal will solve this. No negotiations will solve this. It is in their DNA.”
‘Choosing free Iran over a dying regime’
Pahlavi further addressed Europe, saying it faces a choice between the current Iranian system and a free Iran that could become a partner for stability.
“The choice before Europe is not between war and peace. It is between a dying regime that endangers us all and a free Iran that can become a partner for stability,” he said.
The Iranian prince urged European authorities to seek “a new course” in dealing with Tehran, or keep facing “constant blackmail” from the Islamic Republic.
“European governments must stop appeasing this regime. Expel regime ambassadors, refuse to legitimize any arrangements that preserve the IRGC-centered power structure and prepare to recognize the transitional government when it is announced,” he said, addressing European powers.
‘Iranians don’t want to see regime legitimized’
Pahlavi referred to nationwide protests in Iran, saying the Iranian people demand world countries refrain from strengthening or legitimizing a government that terrorizes the nation.
“The Iranian people are not asking us to fight their revolution. They are already doing that, and with a courage that should humble all of us,” he said. “They are asking something far more modest: do not legitimize those who oppress them. Do not strengthen those who terrorize them.”
He said it was time for the world to “catch up with their courage,” noting that the international community’s contribution to their struggle could help bring about an end to the government's violence.
“If you stand with us, if you act in honor of those 40,000 innocent protesters, you will save lives, you will stop the flow of blood,” he said.
Pahlavi also touched upon the Iran war, saying the destruction of governmental infrastructure employed in suppressing dissent, could potentially facilitate protests aimed at subverting the government.
“The air cover campaign that included hitting the regime infrastructure and apparatus of repression was a necessary step to equalize the playing field for the Iranians who were getting massacred on the streets defenseless, by a regime that used military weapons to hit them on the streets,” Pahlavi said.
He argued that a democratic transition in Iran could reduce regional tensions and open the way for broader economic cooperation.
“A free Iran would be a stabilizing anchor for the entire Middle East, ending the proxy wars that have ravaged Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, and becoming a partner for regional economic integration,” Pahlavi said.
