The Last Shah’s Son Wants To Rule Iran: Who Is Reza Pahlavi?

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch, warned Western nations on Monday against supporting the current Islamic Republic, declaring that “the end of the regime is near.” Speaking at a press event on June 23, Pahlavi urged the international community to stand firmly with the Iranian people and not repeat the errors of past decades by propping up a government he called irredeemable.

“The time has come to support the Iranian people’s desire for freedom. Do not throw this regime a lifeline,” said Pahlavi, who now lives in exile in Washington, D.C. “Destroying nuclear facilities alone will not bring peace. What’s needed is a comprehensive strategy that supports democratic change and ensures long-term regional stability.”

Pahlavi, who has lived abroad since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that deposed his father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has increasingly become a leading voice among opposition groups calling for the end of clerical rule in Iran. Without citing evidence, he claimed the ruling establishment is unraveling and alleged that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his family and top officials, are preparing to flee the country in anticipation of growing unrest.

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When asked if he envisions himself leading Iran’s future or returning as monarch, Pahlavi dismissed any political ambition. “I am not seeking power,” he said. “I am committed to a transition that preserves Iran’s territorial integrity and embraces individual freedoms, equal rights for all citizens, and a firm separation of religion and state.”

Who Was the Last Shah Of Iran? And Why Was He Overthrown?

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Reza Pahlavi’s father, was the last Shah of Iran. He was overthrown in 1979 during the Iranian Revolution, a mass movement that ended centuries of monarchy and ushered in a new Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. His downfall was driven by years of rising public anger over authoritarian rule, economic inequality, religious alienation, and perceived submission to Western influence.

Following a CIA-backed coup in 1953 that removed Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, the Shah consolidated power and ruled with increasing authoritarianism. Political opposition was crushed, censorship was widespread, and dissenters were brutally suppressed by SAVAK, the feared secret police. These repressive tactics created a climate of fear and deepened public resentment.

The Shah's modernization program known as the White Revolution included land reforms, education initiatives, and greater rights for women. While some hailed these as progressive, many Iranians, particularly the powerful Shi’a clergy, viewed them as an assault on Islamic values and Iranian traditions. Ayatollah Khomeini, exiled in the 1960s, became a central figure in rallying opposition against these policies.

Economically, the country experienced rapid growth thanks to rising oil revenues in the 1970s, but the benefits were unevenly distributed. Many Iranians saw little improvement in their lives, while corruption and excess flourished. The Shah’s extravagant 1971 celebration of 2,500 years of monarchy held amid growing poverty came to symbolize the regime’s disconnect from the people.

By late 1978, mass protests engulfed the country. Broad segments of society including religious leaders, students, workers, and the middle class joined in calling for the Shah’s ouster. As demonstrations intensified and oil workers launched crippling strikes, the regime’s control collapsed. Facing overwhelming opposition, the Shah fled Iran on January 16, 1979. He never returned.

Just two weeks later, Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile to a hero’s welcome. By April, a national referendum had abolished the monarchy, and the Islamic Republic of Iran was officially declared marking a dramatic shift from a secular monarchy to a theocratic state.