Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah and a leading opposition figure in exile, has once again positioned himself as a potential leader for Iran.
In response to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Pahlavi penned an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Sunday.
“Many Iranians, often even after facing bullets, have called on me to lead this transition. I am in awe of their courage, and I have answered their call,” he wrote.
He outlined a vision for Iran’s future that begins with a transparent process: a new constitution drafted and ratified by referendum, followed by free elections under international oversight.
“When Iranians vote, the transitional government dissolves,” he added.
Pahlavi argued that a democratic Iran could “transform the Middle East, turning one of the world’s most persistent sources of upheaval into a pillar of regional stability”.
He stressed that the country would avoid repeating past mistakes: “There will be no dissolution of institutions, no power vacuum, no chaos”.
Pahlavi’s father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, ruled Iran from 1941 until his overthrow in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Designated crown prince by his father, Reza Pahlavi has lived in exile in the United States for decades.