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Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s exiled prince, described the joint US-Israeli attack on the country as a promised “help” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump.
After the reported strikes, Pahlavi called on Iranians to leave the regime and called on security forces to defect.
“Destiny times are ahead of us,” Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. “Even with the arrival of this help, the final victory will still be done by our own hands. It is us, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”
Pahlavi declared that the Islamic Republic was falling.
Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, described the joint US-Israeli attack on the country as promised “help” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
He framed the reported strikes as aid aimed not at Iran itself, but at its ruling clerical establishment and urged the US to “use extreme caution” to save lives.
“The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived,” Pahlavi wrote. “This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its killing machine – not the great country and nation of Iran.”
Pahlavi issued an unequivocal warning to Iran’s military, police and security forces, urging them to distance themselves from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Now that the Islamic Republic is falling, my message to the country’s military, police, and homeland security is clear: Take an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders,” he wrote.
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People watch as smoke rises into the sky after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo)
“Your job is to protect the people, not the regime that took over our country through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei’s sinking ship and his regime.”
His plea echoes previous attempts by the opposition to persuade Iran’s security forces to switch sides – a move that could determine whether the protests spread or the regime tightens its grip.
While predicting imminent change, Pahlavi stopped short of inciting immediate street protests. He warned citizens to stay in their homes and remain vigilant so that when he declared “the right time,” Iranians “can return to the streets to take the last step.”
“We are very close to the final victory,” he wrote. “I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that we can come together and rebuild Iran.”
He also indicated that he would maintain communications even if the authorities take steps to restrict internet or satellite access – a tactic used by Iranian officials during previous unrest.
Smoke billows over the city after the Israeli military launched a second wave of airstrikes against Iran in Tehran on February 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Pahlavi thanked Trump for what he described as support while again urging caution to avoid human casualties.
“Now I ask you to use extreme caution to preserve the lives of our citizens and people,” he wrote, adding that “the people of Iran are your natural friends and those of the free world.”
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Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Iranian monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.
In recent years, he has sought to position himself as a unifying opposition amid waves of anti-government protests, including protests sparked by economic turmoil and the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
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