Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi launched a sharp attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime amid ongoing protests, saying Iran should have been the “South Korea of the Middle East” but instead slid toward isolation and repression. Pointing to Iran’s strong economic position decades ago, Pahlavi said misrule squandered the nation’s vast potential.
“Iran today should have been the next South Korea of the Middle East,” Pahlavi said, noting that Iran once had five times South Korea’s GDP. “Today, we have become North Korea.”
Vision of a Free Iran
Responding to National Public Radio, Pahlavi said a free Iran would pose no threat to other nations. He stressed that a democratic Iran would prioritise peace, trade, and stability, build partnerships with democratic states, and base its foreign relations on mutual respect.
Call for US Action
Speaking from Washington, D.C., Pahlavi said he expected decisive action from President Donald Trump and the United States to support the Iranian people.
He argued that timely and targeted steps by Washington could accelerate the collapse of Iran’s ruling establishment and save lives.
Pahlavi said many Iranians believe President Trump would stand by his earlier commitments. “The Iranian people have taken his word as a man of his word,” he said, adding that Trump would not repeat what he described as past US administrations abandoning Iranians at critical moments.
Warnings to Tehran Encouraged Protesters
He pointed to Trump’s warning to Iran’s leadership against escalating violence toward civilians as particularly empowering. According to Pahlavi, the message that harsh crackdowns would carry “serious consequences” boosted morale among protesters inside Iran.
‘Regime Will Fall, With or Without Help’
While acknowledging that timing matters, Pahlavi insisted the movement would continue regardless of international support. “With or without the world’s help, the regime will fall,” he said, adding that quicker action could save lives.
Pahlavi also clarified that he was not calling for a full-scale military intervention, reiterating his belief that political pressure and support for the Iranian people were key.
Wit Inputs from IANS
