'Islamic Republic has reached its end': Exiled royal Reza Pahlavi urges uprising in Iran; calls Khamenei 'a frightened rat'

Time of India

18-06-2025

Reza Pahlavi and Khamenei (R)
Exiled Iranian royal Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran, issued a dramatic call to action on Tuesday, urging Iran's military, police, and state employees to join a nationwide uprising against the Khamenei-led Islamic Republic, declaring that its "fall has begun.
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In a sweeping address to the Iranian people, Pahlavi wrote on X, "The Islamic Republic has reached its end and is in the process of collapsing. Khamenei, like a frightened rat, has gone into hiding underground and has lost control of the situation. What has begun is irreversible."
— PahlaviReza (@PahlaviReza)
He expressed solidarity with those affected by the country's turmoil and reiterated his long-standing opposition to war. "In these difficult days, my heart is with all the defenceless citizens who have been harmed and have fallen victim to Khamenei's warmongering and delusions."
Calling the current moment a 'sharp turn in history,' Pahlavi asserted, "The regime's apparatus of repression is falling apart. All it takes now is a nationwide uprising to put an end to this nightmare once and for all."
Encouraging people across Iranian cities—from Bandar Abbas to Mashhad—to take to the streets, he sought to calm fears of chaos post-regime: "Do not fear the day after the fall of the Islamic Republic.
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Iran will not descend into civil war or instability."
He said preparations were already in place: "We have a plan for Iran's future and its flourishing. We are prepared for the first hundred days after the fall, for the transitional period, and for the establishment of a national and democratic government—by the Iranian people and for the Iranian people."
To members of Iran's state apparatus, Pahlavi appealed directly: "Do not stand against the Iranian people for the sake of a regime whose fall has begun and is inevitable.
By standing with the people, you can save your lives."
His call came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced strong support for regime change in Iran during an interview with the opposition-linked Iran International news outlet, saying, "The regime's days are numbered… I know that Iran can be great again. It was a great civilization, and this theological thuggery that has kidnapped your country will not stand for long, and you are the future, not them.
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Netanyahu added: "A light has been lit—carry it to freedom. Your hour of freedom is near; it's happening now."
Highlighting what he described as widespread dissent, Netanyahu said, "These dictators in Iran, sure they fear us—but they fear you, the people of Iran, even more. They understand that 80 percent of Iranians despise them."
In a separate interview with Fox News, the Israeli leader indicated that ongoing pressure on Tehran could lead to a change in regime: "Regime change could certainly be the result."
Citing ancient ties between the Iranian and Jewish people, Netanyahu said, "The Persian people and the Jewish people have had an ancient friendship that goes back to the times of Cyrus the Great; that could happen again." He emphasised, however, that the final decision rests with Iranians: "The decision to act, to rise up, at this time is the decision of the Iranian people."
Israeli PM also confirmed that Israel's recent strikes, dubbed "Operation Rising Lion", were launched based on intelligence that Tehran had stockpiled enough enriched uranium to build nine nuclear bombs.