'Islamic Republic Is Gasping Its Final Breaths': Reza Pahlavi After Khamenei’s Death

Iran’s exiled prince Reza Pahlavi issued a fiery video message following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for the complete dismantling of the Islamic Republic and urging Iranians to rise up.

Addressing “fellow compatriots,” Pahlavi described Khamenei as “the Zahhak of our time,” accusing him of ordering widespread violence against Iranian citizens. He claimed that with Khamenei’s death and that of several senior loyalists, the Islamic Republic was “gasping its final breaths.”

“The great nation of Iran seeks the complete downfall of the Islamic Republic,” Pahlavi said, adding that any attempt by regime remnants to appoint a successor would lack legitimacy and be complicit in past crimes.

He directly appealed to Iran’s military, police, and security forces, urging them to “join the people” and use their arms to defend the nation rather than the ruling establishment. Referring to what he called the “Lion-and-Sun Revolution,” Pahlavi framed the moment as a historic opportunity to end what he described as a 47-year “nightmare.”

Pahlavi also called on citizens to prepare for a “massive and decisive presence in the streets,” while advising them to safeguard their security. He encouraged supporters to express dissent through nighttime chants and public demonstrations.

To the Iranian diaspora, Pahlavi appealed for intensified advocacy, urging them to communicate international support for what he termed a “humanitarian intervention” and the total collapse of the regime.

He concluded his address by warning that critical days lie ahead but expressed confidence that unity among Iranians would lead to victory and the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.