Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Sunday made a pitch to lead the Islamic Republic following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint strikes by the United States (US) and Israel. The 65-year-old said he has the support of millions in Iran and claimed that even the Iranian military will side with him.
In an interview with the Fox News, Pahlavi said he has a plan of action and a transition plan. He said it was crucial that Khamenei’s regime goes out of power in Iran, and it was important for both the US and the Islamic Republic. He said people are joining the “coalition of forces that will be at play in filling the boxes”.
“Just by a change that we hope to bring to the table, that will be probably over a trillion dollars worth of impact and revenue to the American economy, just by Iranโs market being opened to America and how much we stand to benefit from billions of dollars willing to be invested into Iran,” the exiled Iranian prince said.
Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was the last monarch of Iran, who was deposed during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Reza Pahlavi, who was born in 1960 in Tehran, was officially designated as the crown prince of the country in 1967. In 1978, he left the country to undergo military training in the US. Later, he obtained a political science degree from the University of Southern California.
Following his father’s death in 1980, he proclaimed himself Shah while remaining in exile.
Coming to Iran’s current regime, 67-year-old senior Shia cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi was appointed to serve as the interim supreme leader of the country. Iran is also targeting US bases in the region, drawing sharp reaction from its neighbours. Iran has also targeted Israel, and in one of its attacks, 10 people were killed. The US and Israel have warned Iran against any kind of further escalation, and said it could further complicate the situation in the Middle East.ย