Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former deposed Shah, called on European governments to take new measures during a press conference. He stated that any negotiation with the religious authorities in Tehran was a “policy of appeasement” destined to fail. Pahlavi, 65, visited Berlin as part of a European tour, where he met with some parliamentarians but no government representatives. During the conference, he urged European governments, which stayed out of the American-Israeli war against Iran, to take action, such as expelling Iranian ambassadors and assisting Iranians in restoring internet connection, which has been repeatedly cut off by the regime.
Pahlavi expressed hope for a popular uprising, emphasizing the need for people to reclaim the streets. He criticized current Iranian leaders, calling them “different faces of the same system.” Pahlavi accused European governments of futile efforts to appease the Islamic Republic for decades. He particularly singled out Western media for spreading Iranian propaganda and being “disconnected” from the reality of the country.
Despite being the son of the overthrown Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, he acknowledged being only one of many Iranian diaspora groups in conflict with each other. Pahlavi has not gained the recognition of President Donald Trump, who has expressed skepticism about his ability to lead Iran. Nevertheless, Pahlavi cited the support of 250,000 demonstrators in Munich in February as proof of his legitimacy to lead a transition in Iran, especially among the current generation in Iran who he considers his “strongest support.”
