Reza Pahlavi dismisses civilian deaths as “war casualties,” pushes regime change in Iran

Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, in a conversation with CBS News, shrugs off any responsibility for civilian deaths. The exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has repeatedly urged the people of Iran to continue risking their lives and said that the foundations of the illegitimate Islamic Republic are shaken and “freedom is near.” But when asked if he bore some responsibility for the death of innocent civilians, he simply denied, he said he didn't ask them to fight the regime.

“This is a war, and war has casualties. In fact, in order to preserve and protect and minimise the death toll, minimise innocent victims yet again being killed by this regime, action is needed,” said Pahlavi.

"The best way to ensure that there will be less people killed in Iran is to intervene sooner, so this regime finally collapses and puts an end to all the problems that we are facing," Pahlavi continued.

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There have been several protests in Iran, like the Green Revolution in 2009, then protests against economic hardships and the regime in 2017-18, again in 2019, and in the Mahsa Amini protests in 2022. But according to Palhavi, the difference between the previous protests and the current one is not just social reform and economic demand; it's about regime change.

When asked if he is pushing Donald Trump for regime change in Iran, he said that Trump stands in solidarity with the Iranian people, "ultimately supporting them in their ask." He further went on to praise the US President Donald Trump, “Unlike his predecessor, the current United States President is a man who means what he says and says what he means.” He said that he had communicated with the Trump administration, but did not give much detail about the conversation.

Reza Pahlavi has lived in exile since 1979, Islamic Revolution. His father, pro-Western leader Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was the last shah of Iran. It is unclear whether he has significant support. But he has repeatedly called for the protestors to continue the protest. “The world today stands with your national revolution and admires your courage. Do not abandon the streets. My heart is with you. I know that I will soon be by your side.”

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Iran protests

Iran has been engulfed by widespread unrest with reports of hundreds killed, both anti-government protesters and security forces. The protests started in smaller cities, but now they've grown into much bigger cities, including Mashad, Esfahan, Shiraz, and most notably, Tehran. According to Roxane Farmanfarmaian, a British lecturer in international politics at the University of Cambridge, and daughter of the Qajar dynasty Iranian prince Manucher Mirza Farman Farmaian, the key player in Iran remains the oil industry, which is the economic lifeline of the regime, and they have not been part of the protest. Moreover, there is an apathy among the Iranian army and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Force with the cause of protestors, due to the overt external pressure and alignment with the West and Israel, so major pillars like security and the oil industry remain intact.