&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "After Trump, Iran's exiled prince Reza Pahlavi claims 'Khamenei erased' — Will he return?")
Hours after US President Donald Trump said that Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, on Saturday (Feb 28) said that Iran has finally gotten rid of the “bloodthirsty despot.” In a lengthy post on X, Pahlavi, who is the exiled eldest son of the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Shah, declared that it is the end of the Islamic Republic and it is time to unfurl Iran’s Lion and Sun National Revolution flag. He also said that any attempt to appoint a successor to Khamenei will fail, while urging Iranian people to take the streets and witness the “final victory.” Calling the moment as “freedom” for Iranians, he also sent a message to the military, law enforcement and security forces of Iran, stating that ut us their “final opportunity to help ensure Iran’s stable transition.” Though, he did not mention anything about taking over power in Iran after the fall of the regime, or his return to the country, it must be noted that he has been hinting about the same since the December 2025 protest.
“Ali Khamenei, the bloodthirsty despot of our time, the murderer of tens of thousands of Iran’s bravest sons and daughters, has been erased from the face of history. With his death, the Islamic Republic has in effect reached its end…Whoever they place in his stead will have neither legitimacy nor longevity, and will undoubtedly be complicit in the crimes of this regime as well,” Pahlavi wrote in X post. HIS FULL POST HERE:
Also Read: 'Buried, not bunkered': Khamenei's dead body found in Iran and shown to Trump, says report
US-Israel war with Iran
Pahlavi's post comes after Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Khamenei is dead. There is no clarity on the same as Iranian regime might have hinted that he is alive, contradicting the claims by Israel and the US. On Feb 28, the United States and Israel bombed several areas in Iran, including the capital, Tehran, in what they described as "preemptive attack." The operation was named Operation Lion's Roar by Israel and Operation Epic Fury by the US. In retaliation, Iran bombed several US bases and top sites in the neighbourhood including UAE and Bahrain. The situation is still developing with Israel announcing fresh attack on Iran’s ballistic missile launchers, air defense systems.
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