Prince Reza Pahlavi: The West Should Support the People of Iran Instead of Negotiating with the Regime

Prince Reza Pahlavi stated that Western countries should "instead of wasting time negotiating with the Islamic Republic, help in the struggle of the Iranian people for freedom by adopting a policy of maximum pressure against the regime and maximum support for the people of Iran." He spoke on Tuesday, January 29, at the National Press Club in the United States and participated in a Q&A session afterward. Prince Reza Pahlavi expressed his belief that the U.S. has a choice; either to seize this historic opportunity for change in the Middle East and lasting peace or to fall into the trap of the deceitful radical Islamic regime, which he claims some are trying to lead the U.S. government toward. He also mentioned that Western countries could use the seized assets of the Islamic Republic instead of taxpayer money to support the Iranian people. Previously, Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, had told Sky News about the possibility of resuming negotiations with the United States: "There must be enough trust for Iran to enter negotiations again. I think we can still reach that agreement." In another part of his speech, Prince Reza Pahlavi stated: "We do not need soldiers or money from the U.S. government in our struggle. It is the Iranians themselves who are fighting for the freedom of their homeland and joining the emerging peace movement in the region that the occupiers of their country are trying to stop." He emphasized that the Islamic Republic regime is "opaque, unreliable, and deceitful" and that its nature will not change. He said: "It is in the regime's DNA to do anything for its survival and, once saved, to return to its original state." He added that the nature of the Islamic regime is based on ideologies that are contrary to the values of democratic Western countries. Prince Reza Pahlavi called on the international community to work to identify and counter the Islamic Republic's cyber campaign and to provide tools to opponents and prisoners to voice their concerns to the world. He stated that the international community's assistance in ensuring free access to information for the people and combating government censorship could also be impactful. He noted that at the request of Iranians, he has taken on the leadership of the transition from a "war-mongering regime to a stable and peaceful future" and briefly outlined his plan for overthrowing the regime and replacing it. He mentioned that "creating a rift within the regime and facilitating the defection of its forces" as well as encouraging "comprehensive participation" of Iranians and cooperation with G20 countries to apply "maximum pressure" on the Islamic regime and "maximum support" for the Iranian people are key points. He also referred to Iran's vast investment potential for the future and stated that utilizing these capacities and creating equal opportunities for entrepreneurs would benefit all parties, giving the example of the potential establishment of a Tesla factory by Elon Musk in a place like Sistan and Baluchestan. Prince Reza Pahlavi pointed out that rebuilding the economy and overcoming the current crisis is central to his agenda. Regarding changes in Iranian society, he said that many of those known as the "gray class" have come out, and based on evidence and reports, he is confident that the change he proposes will have popular support, but he also emphasized the importance of the international community's role in this process. He highlighted the necessity of focusing on national reconciliation and stated that instead of seeking revenge, unity should be prioritized. Prince Reza Pahlavi urged the people not to fall into the trap of the Islamic Republic's "cyber deception" campaign that seeks to muddy the waters. In another part of his speech, while emphasizing the importance of "maximum defection" among the forces affiliated with the Islamic Republic, he stated that the regime uses the Basij and IRGC forces to advance its goals, and for this reason, these groups should be listed as terrorist organizations, which from his perspective would encourage their members to defect. He also added that accepting defectors from the Islamic Republic does not mean abandoning justice and stated that many individuals should be prosecuted, but at the same time emphasized that any action should be taken in a democratic process. The Islamic Republic is truly seeking negotiations, or is it trying to buy time? Reactions to Zarif's presence in Davos; users: he is a symbol of the regime's "audacity." Mark Wallace: Zarif is deceitful like von Ribbentrop, Hitler's foreign minister. Trump's envoy in Ukraine called for a maximum pressure policy against Iran.