Washington: Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, on Sunday, declared that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “has been eliminated”, calling him “the Zahhak of our time” and urging the regime officials to surrender power.
Pahlavi, in a statement, described Khamenei as “the demonic figure who just weeks ago issued the order for the massacre of tens of thousands of Iran’s finest sons and daughters”.
“With his ignominious death and that of many of his appointees and loyalists, the Islamic Republic is gasping its final breaths. Through your resolve and courage, it will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history,” he said.
He asserted that “The great nation of Iran seeks the complete downfall of the Islamic Republic. And we will bring down this demonic regime”.
Pahlavi addressed what he called the “remaining officials of this Republic of Terror” with a direct demand: “Surrender to the people of Iran. Declare your loyalty to my program and the Transition System. And hand over power without further bloodshed.”
He warned that any attempt to replace Khamenei would fail.
“Any attempt by the remnants of the regime to appoint a successor to Khamenei is doomed to fail from the outset. Whoever they place in his stead will not only lack legitimacy but will also be complicit in the crimes of this regime,” he said.
Turning to the security establishment, Pahlavi urged a shift in allegiance.
“Your weapons must serve to defend the great nation of Iran — not the criminal Republic, nor its anti-Iranian thugs and hoodlums,” he said.
“Join the people of Iran and the Lion-and-Sun Revolution. Use your arms to protect Iranians against the regime’s mercenaries of the Islamic Republic. So that this 47-year nightmare may end more swiftly.”
He said Khamenei’s death “cannot atone for the spilled blood” but “can serve as a balm for the scorched hearts of fathers and mothers, spouses and children, sisters and brothers in mourning; a consolation for the proud families of the Lion-and-Sun Revolution’s selfless martyrs”.
Addressing what he called the “Noble and brave people of Iran”, Pahlavi urged mobilisation.
“Stay vigilant. Stay prepared. The time for a massive and decisive presence in the streets is drawing very near,” he said.
He called on supporters to express “your satisfaction and support for the dismantling of the Islamic Republic through nighttime chants” and to “raise your voices with your demands for Iran’s future”.
“To Iranians abroad, who for weeks have tirelessly and relentlessly amplified the resounding voice of our compatriots in Iran, I ask that you redouble your efforts,” he added, urging them to convey “the Iranian people’s support for this humanitarian intervention, and our demand for the regime’s total collapse”.
“Critical days lie ahead. Together, we will traverse the path to victory. And we will overthrow the Islamic Republic system,” he said, ending with: “Long live Iran.”
Pahlavi, heir to the Peacock Throne, has lived in exile in the US since the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.
In recent years, Pahlavi has positioned himself as a potential transitional figure, saying that he could guide Iran towards a democratic order in the event of regime change.
(IANS)
