Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said Saturday that "moments of destiny lie ahead" for Iran as the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iranian targets, framing the offensive as a turning point in the decades-long confrontation with Tehran.
In a message circulated on X hours after President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran, Pahlavi described the arrival of U.S. aid to the Iranian people as a "humanitarian intervention" aimed at the Islamic Republic's security apparatus and "machinery of slaughter," not the Iranian nation itself.
Trump unveiled what U.S. and allied officials are calling Operation Epic Fury in an early morning video message, saying the offensive is designed to degrade Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure and empower the Iranian people to topple their government.
Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last monarch, said that while the foreign support has arrived, "the final victory will still be forged by our hands," urging Iranians to prepare to return to the streets when he signals the moment.
"Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing," he said, the population must stay focused on reclaiming the country.
His comments come as U.S. and Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted military installations, leadership compounds, and air defenses in Tehran and other cities, drawing swift Iranian retaliation.
Sirens sounded across the region, and Tehran broadcast footage of smoke rising over damaged urban areas.
Addressing Iran's security forces, Pahlavi urged members of the army, police, and intelligence services to abandon loyalty to the clerical regime and "join the people" in a transition to stability and security.
"You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders," he said.
"Your duty is to defend the people — not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime," Pahlavi continued.
"Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei's sinking ship and his regime."
Pahlavi also addressed Trump directly, urging the president to exercise "the utmost caution" to protect civilian lives amid the ongoing strikes.
"The noble people of Iran, despite the savage repression and massacres of this regime, stood firm with courage for nearly two months," he said.
"I now ask you to exercise the utmost caution to preserve the lives of civilians and my compatriots," Pahlavi continued.
"The people of Iran are your natural allies and those of the free world, and they will never forget your support in the most difficult period in contemporary Iranian history."
In his closing appeal, Pahlavi called on his compatriots to remain sheltered for now, stay vigilant, and follow his updates through social and satellite media until he announces the right time for renewed civil action.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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