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Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran, described the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on the country as promised “aid” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump.
Following the reported strikes, Pahlavi urged Iranians to abandon the regime and called on security forces to defect.
“Moments of destiny lie ahead of us,” Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. “Even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”
Pahlavi declared that the Islamic Republic is collapsing.
Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, described the joint U.S.-Israel attack on the country as promised “aid” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
He framed the reported strikes as assistance directed not at Iran itself, but at its ruling clerical establishment and urged the U.S. to “exercise the utmost caution” to preserve civilian lives.
“The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived,” Pahlavi wrote. “This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its machinery of slaughter — not the country and great nation of Iran.”
Pahlavi issued a blunt warning to Iran’s military, police and security services, urging them to break ranks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country’s military, police, and security forces is clear: You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders,” he wrote.
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People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo)
“Your duty is to defend the people, not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei’s sinking ship and his regime.”
His appeal mirrored past opposition efforts to persuade Iran’s security forces to switch sides — a move that could determine whether protests spread or the regime tightens its grip.
While predicting imminent change, Pahlavi stopped short of urging immediate street demonstrations. He warned citizens to remain in their homes and stay vigilant so that when he announces an “appropriate time,” Iranians can “return to the streets for the final action.”
“We are very close to final victory,” he wrote. “I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran.”
He also indicated he would maintain communication even if authorities moved to restrict internet or satellite access — a tactic Iranian officials have used during prior waves of unrest.
Smoke rises over the city after the Israeli army launched a second wave of airstrikes on Iran in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Pahlavi thanked Trump for what he characterized as support while again urging caution to avoid civilian casualties.
“I now ask you to exercise the utmost caution to preserve the lives of civilians and my compatriots,” he wrote, adding that “the people of Iran are your natural allies and those of the free world.”
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Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.
In recent years, he has sought to position himself as a unifying opposition figure during waves of anti-regime protests, including demonstrations sparked by economic turmoil and the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
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