Reported from the source

Quick summary: Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last pro-Western monarch, has predicted the fall of the country’s Islamic regime and claimed he is uniquely positioned to lead a successor government. He called for “targeted intervention” from the international community to weaken the regime’s repressive apparatus and hasten its collapse, asserting that the regime is doomed regardless but assistance would save lives.

Pahlavi’s statements follow weeks of mass protests in Iran, which he claims have resulted in 12,000 protester deaths over 48 hours, though human rights groups confirm lower but still thousands-level figures. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Pahlavi clarified that foreign involvement should not entail “boots on the ground” but rather support to protect lives, amplify voices, and target the leadership of groups like the Revolutionary Guards. His bid for leadership comes despite not having been in Iran since his family fled in 1979, leading to questions about his popular support and credentials from other opponents of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime, even as his name has been chanted at some protests. Pahlavi avoided a direct answer on whether he intends to re-establish a monarchy, stating he has a “comprehensive plan for an orderly transition” that includes referendums to establish the form of a successor government, without ruling out a monarchical restoration. He also claimed that “large segments” of the security forces have refused to fire on the population and have “whispered their loyalty” to him. Former US President Donald Trump had previously vowed help if the regime continued killings but later retreated from military intervention warnings, subsequently thanking the regime for allegedly cancelling scheduled executions.

Source: www.theguardian.com