Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s exiled crown prince, described the joint US-Israeli attack on the country as promised “aid” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump.
Following the reported attacks, Pahlavi urged Iranians to leave the regime and called on security forces to defect.
“Moments of destiny lie before us,” Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. “Even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be achieved by our hands. We, the people of Iran, will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”
Pahlavi stated that the Islamic Republic is collapsing.
Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s former crown prince, described the joint US-Israel attack on the country as promised “aid” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
He interpreted the reported attacks as aid aimed not at Iran itself but at its ruling clerical establishment, and urged the US to “exercise the utmost caution” to rescue civilian victims.
“The assistance promised by the President of the United States to the brave people of Iran has now arrived,” Pahlavi wrote. “This is a humanitarian intervention; and the target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus and its slaughter machine – not the country and the great nation of Iran.”
Pahlavi issued a blunt warning to Iran’s military, police and security services, urging them to break ranks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“As the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country’s military, police and security forces is clear: you swore an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people – and not the Islamic Republic and its leaders,” he wrote.
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People watch as smoke rises from the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, February 28, 2026. (AP photo)
“It is your duty to defend the people, not a regime that has held our homeland hostage to repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and safe transition. Otherwise, you will go down with the sinking ship of Khamenei and his regime.”
His call echoed previous opposition efforts to convince Iranian security forces to switch sides — a move that could determine whether the protests spread or the regime tightens its grip.
Although Pahlavi predicted impending changes, he stopped short of pushing for immediate street demonstrations. He warned citizens to stay in their homes and remain vigilant so that when he announces an “appropriate moment,” Iranians can “take to the streets for the final action.”
“We are very close to final victory,” he wrote. “I want to be at your side as soon as possible so that together we can retake and rebuild Iran.”
He also indicated he would maintain communications even if authorities took steps to restrict internet or satellite access — a tactic Iranian officials have used during previous waves of unrest.
Smoke rises over the city after the Israeli army launched a second wave of airstrikes against Iran in Tehran on February 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Pahlavi thanked Trump for what he described as support, while again urging caution to avoid civilian casualties.
“I now ask you to exercise the utmost caution to protect the lives of citizens and my fellow countrymen,” he wrote, adding that “the people of Iran are your natural allies and those of the free world.”
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Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.
In recent years, he has sought to position himself as a unifying opposition figure during waves of anti-regime protests, including demonstrations sparked by economic turmoil and the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.
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