Reza Pahlavi Calls for a Democratic Transition in Iran: ‘This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment’
Speaking in Paris, Pahlavi presented a road map for regime change in a post-Islamic Republic Iran, calling on his countrymen to seize the historic opening
On Monday, hours before US President Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire had been achieved between Israel and Iran, exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi addressed a packed room in Paris, calling on the people of Iran to seize what he described as a historic opportunity. He urged Iranians to bring about a peaceful yet decisive end of the Islamic Republic and the beginning of a free, democratic, and secular Iran.
Pahlavi’s office organized the press conference as part of a broader international outreach campaign to present his “National Salvation Plan” and outline a roadmap for a peaceful democratic transition in Iran.
Held at a central Paris venue, the event brought together international journalists, policy observers, and members of the Iranian diaspora to hear directly from Pahlavi about his vision for Iran’s future and the concrete steps he believes are now possible.
Speaking in Persian, English, and French to journalists from across Europe, the US, and the Iranian diaspora, Pahlavi described Iran as standing at a crossroads, not only because of military escalations and international focus, but also due to deep-seated shifts within the country itself. He described the Iranian government as a crumbling regime, weakened by years of repression and isolation, now facing “a nation more united than ever” in its demand for change.
It was a moment, he said, that recalled the end of the Soviet Union.
This is our Berlin Wall moment. The regime’s foundations are cracking. We must now come together and choose the path forward—not through chaos or vengeance, but through unity and vision.
“This is our Berlin Wall moment,” he declared. “The regime’s foundations are cracking. We must now come together and choose the path forward—not through chaos or vengeance, but through unity and vision.”
His appearance came just a day after US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, an event that dominated global headlines. However, Pahlavi repeatedly emphasized that the military war wasn’t the struggle that mattered most. “This is not a war imposed from the outside,” he said. “This is the regime’s war against the nation.”
Pahlavi’s speech was structured around urgency but not panic. He painted a picture of a country teetering on the edge of transformation because of mounting internal exhaustion with four decades of repression, economic hardship, and global isolation.
He cited direct contact with elements of the security forces, including police, the Revolutionary Guard, and military officers who, he said, are increasingly ready to switch sides.
“We are not speaking in theory. We are in dialogue with people inside the system who want to be part of the solution,” he said.
He then issued a direct appeal to those within the regime: “If you join the people now, you will be remembered for your courage. You will have a place in rebuilding our country. Iran will not forget you.”
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He outlined three nonnegotiable foundations for a future Iran: protection of territorial integrity, a guarantee of individual rights and equality, and a firm separation of religion and state. None of these, he emphasized, would be imposed. Instead, they would be ratified through a national referendum: “the ultimate expression of the people’s will.”
Introducing what he called a National Salvation Plan, Pahlavi said a peaceful transition was both desirable and achievable if citizens and institutions inside Iran united around shared goals. One element of the plan is a “safe passage” initiative designed to help members of the armed forces and bureaucratic elite defect without fear of reprisal.
He also unveiled the Iran Prosperity Project, which he described as a post-regime roadmap structured in three phases: emergency relief, stabilization, and normalization. The first 100 days, he said, are already being prepared with input from economists, engineers, public administrators, and diaspora professionals.
We are ready. We have the experts. What we need now is the window of opportunity and unity to step through it.
“We are ready. We have the experts. What we need now is the window of opportunity and unity to step through it,” he said.
During the question-and-answer session, Pahlavi engaged with journalists in both English and French, responding with confidence and fluency.
A French reporter asked him directly whether this transition plan had any real backing inside Iran:
“This plan is based on three pillars: national unity, secularism, and fundamental rights. And yes, we are seeing growing support among Iranians, including within the armed forces, families of the regime, and especially among the youth,” Pahlavi said.
He was pressed again on whether this support was meaningful or merely symbolic. He replied: “There are people inside the system who are in contact with us. They no longer believe in this regime. They are ready to serve the people, not the ideology.”
The door is open to anyone sincere about serving the nation and not the ideology of the regime. We must be pragmatic. Justice will come, but revenge cannot be the foundation of a democracy.
Another journalist asked whether his appeal for unity extended to former regime officials, or even to hard-liners now looking for a way out. Pahlavi answered: “The door is open to anyone sincere about serving the nation and not the ideology of the regime. We must be pragmatic. Justice will come, but revenge cannot be the foundation of a democracy.”
Asked whether he wanted foreign governments to actively support regime change, Pahlavi was careful but firm. “The mission to bring change belongs to Iranians,” he said. “But foreign governments should not obstruct this transition. They should support it morally and diplomatically. They should stand with the people.”
He criticized decades of what he called “appeasement” and “short-term thinking” by Western powers. “Iran could have become the South Korea of the Middle East. Instead, it became North Korea. That was a choice, and it was the wrong one,” he said.
Pahlavi emphasized that a free Iran could be a stabilizing power in the region, not a destabilizing one. “This regime thrives on crisis,” he said. “We, the people, want peace.”
Just as the Abraham Accords had reshaped Israel-Arab relations, a future democratic Iran could help launch a new regional compact, Pahlavi said, using the occasion to speak of a broader vision for Middle Eastern peace.
“Let’s build what I would call the Cyrus Accords—a regional pact of non-aggression, cooperation, and mutual respect,” he said.
He recalled personal encounters with Israeli leaders and diaspora Iranian Jews, saying that future relations between Iran and Israel must be normalized. “We have no quarrel with the Jewish people or with Israel. The regime manufactures enmity to maintain power. The people reject that,” he said.
Asked whether the recent US strikes had truly neutralized the Iranian nuclear threat, Pahlavi was skeptical. “You can bomb centrifuges, but not knowledge,” he said. “The know-how is there. As long as this regime exists, it will rebuild, and it may act even more recklessly.”
He warned that as the regime weakens, its actions could become more desperate and dangerous. “We must act before something irreversible happens. The risk of a dirty bomb, or a catastrophic miscalculation, is real.”
To the millions of Iranians abroad, Pahlavi sent a message of empowerment. He called for unity among exiles and diaspora professionals across political lines. A National Unity Summit, he announced, would soon bring together figures from business, civil society, academia, and political groups to coordinate support for the transition.
This is not about left or right. It’s about right versus wrong. We welcome anyone who believes in a secular, democratic, and free Iran.
“This is not about left or right. It’s about right versus wrong,” he said. “We welcome anyone who believes in a secular, democratic, and free Iran.”
Toward the end of the conference, Pahlavi addressed the perception that his return to the political stage marks a restoration of the monarchy. He was clear: “I am not asking for power. I am offering to serve. Iran does not need a new ruler—it needs a republic, based on law and dignity.”
He closed with a personal appeal to those watching inside Iran. “You are not alone,” he said. “Millions of us, both inside and outside the country, stand with you. This moment is yours—but we will walk it together.”
