Exiled prince calls for global support to overthrow Islamic Republic

Iran's exiled prince Reza Pahlavi urged world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, to stand with Iranians in their struggle for freedom in an address marking their New Year on Thursday.

"Together, we can dismantle the Islamic Republic and end decades of global terror, blackmail, and hostage-taking," he said in the video, titled A Norooz Message to the World: Imagine a New Iran.

"I extend our hand in friendship and partnership— to our neighbors from Israel and the Arab states, to our steadfast allies in the West, including President Trump and the United States, and to leaders across Europe and the G7," he added.

Pahlavi's remarks come amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, following an ultimatum from Trump, who sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei proposing direct negotiations for a new nuclear agreement or face potential military consequences.

Khamenei rejected Trump's letter last week as deceptive, saying Trump's demands would intensify sanctions and increase pressure on Iran.

"A free Iran is no longer a distant dream; it is a reality being forged today by the hands of its own people," Pahlavi said. "The question is not whether Iran will be free, but which nations will be with us in the fight and make our victory sweeter."

He framed the fall of the Islamic Republic as a turning point for global security, arguing that Iran’s current leadership has fueled instability across the Middle East and beyond.

"This new reality will profoundly benefit not only Iranians but citizens everywhere—from the cities of America to the capitals of Europe, from Israel to the Arab world."

Calling himself a servant of the Iranian people, he declared his commitment to leading what he described as historic change, promising a clear and actionable plan to dismantle the Islamic Republic.

While Pahlavi's supporters view him as a unifying figure in the opposition, some Iranians—particularly those skeptical of monarchy—express reservations about his political vision for Iran’s future.

Pahlavi has made clear in interviews, including in an interview with the German outlet Spiegel, that he does not advocate for either a monarchy or a republic, emphasizing that the Iranian people should determine their future governance through a democratic vote.

Tens of thousands of Iranians gathered at major historical sites across the country on Thursday to mark Nowruz, chanting national and pro-monarchy slogans in defiance of the Islamic government.

"Imagine the Middle East liberated from the shadow of nuclear blackmail and threats. Imagine our region without endless proxy wars, extremist ideologies, and terrorism—all driven by a regime whose policies have caused mass migration, instability, and suffering far beyond Iran’s borders," he added.