"Ditch the Regime, Side with the People" - Reza Pahlavi, Former Shah's Son, Urges Iranian Security Forces
Security figure Shah-Sohn urges nation's security officials to sever ties with the current government of Iran.
Wanting to support the democracy movement in Iran, not necessarily claim power himself, Reza Pahlavi - the exiled son of Iran's last monarch - has been actively pleading with Iranian military and security forces to break away from the Islamic Republic. This call came into light after Israel's recent attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities.
In a powerful statement following the Israeli strikes, Pahlavi called out to Iran's armed forces, police, and security personnel, "Break with the regime. Uphold your oath as every honorable soldier. Join the people."
Based in exile near Washington D.C., Pahlavi's words echoed after the Israeli attacks, which reportedly claimed the lives of several high-ranking Iranian military officials, including chiefs of the army and the Revolutionary Guards, as well as a significant portion of the Revolutionary Guards' air force leadership.
Amidst this apparent weakening of Iran's leadership, Pahlavi expressed his faith in the people's power, stating, "Iran belongs to you, and you must reclaim it. I am with you. Stay strong, and we will triumph." He clarified that while he doesn't aim to restore the monarchy, he wishes to use his name to back the secular democracy movement within his nation.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have been brewing for decades, with Iran repeatedly denying Israel's right to exist since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Under the late Shah, Iran and Israel enjoyed amicable relations.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized Pahlavi for inciting war with Israel, describing the Iranian leadership as "weak and divided." He urged the international community to refrain from supporting this "dying, terrorist regime."
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Insights:
- The ensuing conflict and public unrest in Iran have magnified the resonance of Reza Pahlavi's call for the military and security forces to back the democracy movement, aiming to overthrow the current cleric-run government.
- While no confirmed public shift within the military or security agencies has been reported, Pahlavi's message has deliberately aimed to deepen internal fractures within the regime by encouraging defections and support for the pro-democracy movement.
- Pahlavi's long-standing advocacy for democratization in Iran focuses on peaceful means such as street protests and strikes, rather than reclamation of leadership by hereditary rights.
The ensuing conflict and public unrest in Iran have amplified the significance of Reza Pahlavi's call for the military and security forces, in the context of the economic and monetary union, to support the democracy movement, aiming to dismantle the current cleric-run government. Despite no confirmed public shift within the military or security agencies, Pahlavi's message deliberately seeks to widen internal fractures within the regime by encouraging defections and support for the pro-democracy movement, thereby potentially disrupting the status quo of political tensions and wars and conflicts.
