174. The “uniquely” placed Prince

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former monarch, has forecast the downfall of the Islamic regime and stated that he is “uniquely” positioned to lead a successor government.

Remember, Pahlavi has not been in Iran since his family left at the start of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He was 19 when he arrived in the United States. 

He was officially appointed crown prince of Iran during his father's coronation in 1967. In 1980, after his father died in exile in Cairo, Reza Pahlavi proclaimed himself Shah of Iran, calling himself Reza Shah II and claiming to be the legitimate heir to the Pahlavi dynasty's throne. 

However, the U.S. Department of State clarified that the U.S. does not support Reza Pahlavi and confirmed recognition of the new post-revolutionary Iranian government. 

In 1982, a coup d'état was devised to install Pahlavi in Iran, with approval from the CIA and the Israeli cabinet. However, it was abandoned after Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin resigned in 1983, and the newly elected leadership under Yitzhak Shamir decided that "Israel should not be involved in a new adventure." 

So, he knows nothing about Iran, its culture, or its people. But he has enjoyed the wealth his family took from Iran. And still enjoying.

After 46 years, the man has become active because he knows that Donald Trump can make him king.

His effort to take control of a possible new Iran follows weeks of large protests that led to thousands of deaths. However, Pahlavi has some supporters who chanted his name and “long live the shah” at recent protests. 

This is ironic because his father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's monarchical regime, was overthrown after months of protests and allegations of torture and human rights abuses.

Reza called on the West to support efforts to remove Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader.

Donald Trump initially promised that “help is on the way” if the regime continued killing protesters or executing detainees. However, he withdrew this promise after Middle East allies warned the US that military intervention could lead to regional instability. 

Reza appealed in Washington, saying, "The Iranian people are taking decisive actions on the ground, and now it is time for the international community to join them fully."

He proposed that foreign involvement doesn't require “boots on the ground” but rather "targeted intervention,” such as targeting the leadership of the Revolutionary Guards.

I don’t believe the theory that Iranians will accept a restored monarchy. 

Reza didn’t rule out restoring the monarchy. Instead, he says he has a comprehensive plan for an orderly transition that is ready to be implemented immediately.

Yes, immediately with the help of Trump.

I am still unsure about his statement that “I am uniquely positioned to ensure a stable transition.” 

His audacity was such that he referenced “the bond between me and the Iranian people,' echoing his father’s speech, and added, “It’s been with me since birth, and it cannot be broken, even in exile.”

Yes, since birth. Some wombs are special. That is the only explanation I can attribute to those two words, "uniquely placed."

No matter what the future holds for Iran, where Islamic rule suppresses the concept of freedom, I stand wholeheartedly with the people.

But I have a suggestion, rather a request - Iranians should not repeat the mistakes Indians made over the last many decades. They should not fall into the trap of stupid, nonsensical words.

Poverty, inequality, unemployment, and terrorism are all attributed to surnames, which have been destroying India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and many other countries.

These Gandhis, Abdullas, Bhuttos, Sharifs, and the two families in Bangladesh are playing the same game that Reza is trying to replicate.

These surnames must be eradicated at all costs, crushed by force or by ballot. These surnames have governed the generations before us, and we must prevent that from happening again.

India has a man who has gone almost mad because someone has “stolen his birthright” to rule the country. I am certain that he will bear no guilt for seeking assistance from any foreign country if it helps turn his dreams into reality. 

And that is what Reza is currently doing.