**Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Advocates for a Democratic Future for Iran**

Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the country’s last shah, is making his case for transitioning Iran to a democracy. Pahlavi has lived outside of Iran since his father, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought about the Islamic Republic.

With the recent killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by U.S.-Israeli strikes, Pahlavi expressed his belief that the regime could be on the verge of collapse. Despite living abroad for the past 47 years, he believes the Iranian people trust him as a transitional leader.

“Iran had been on my mind every single year of my life,” Pahlavi told *60 Minutes*’ Scott Pelley. “Every single morning when I wake up, the first thing on my mind is Iran.”

### What Pahlavi Sees as the Future of Iran

Pahlavi outlined four core principles for building a new Iran:

1. **Iran’s Territorial Integrity:** Maintaining the country’s borders is paramount.
2. **Separation of Religion and State:** He emphasized that a clear division between religion and government is essential for democracy. “We paid the price, understanding what it means to live under a religious dictatorship,” he said.
3. **Equality and Individual Liberties:** Ensuring all citizens are equal under the law and have individual freedoms.
4. **Democratic Process:** Allowing the Iranian people to freely elect and decide their future system of governance.

Pahlavi envisions peace with Israel and believes Iran’s nuclear weapons program should be completely dismantled.

### Engagement with U.S. Officials

Pahlavi revealed that he has been in contact with members of the Trump administration and U.S. Congress. In January, President Trump expressed skepticism about Pahlavi’s ability to secure widespread support within Iran.

“I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership,” Trump said at the time. “If they would, that would be fine with me.”

Pahlavi responded, “I don’t think that somebody in my position will ever expect to have an official endorsement of a foreign government or a foreign leader. What I do know is that millions of Iranians inside Iran and abroad are calling my name. They recognize in me the person uniquely placed to play a role of transitional leadership—not running for office, because that’s not what I’m doing, but to be a bridge to that destiny.”

### Who Is Reza Pahlavi?

At the time of the 1979 Iranian revolution, Pahlavi was 18 years old and living in Lubbock, Texas, training to be a fighter pilot with the U.S. Air Force. His father, the last king of Iran, had a close but complicated relationship with the United States — known for both suppressing opposition and enriching his inner circle.

The shah left Iran amidst rising political tensions in 1979 and passed away the following year. “My father left Iran voluntarily to avoid bloodshed,” Pahlavi explained. “He said, ‘I’m a king. A king doesn’t build his throne on the blood of his own people. If the nation today wants me out, I will leave. I will not turn my guns on them.’”

Following the shah’s departure, Ayatollah Khomeini led the revolution that established the Islamic Republic, a regime that has lasted decades.

### Recent Calls for Protest

This past January, Pahlavi urged Iranians from abroad to continue rising up against the regime. Hundreds of thousands responded by marching in protests. The regime reportedly killed an estimated 20,000 citizens during these demonstrations.

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Prince Reza Pahlavi remains a prominent figure advocating for a democratic future in Iran, holding onto the hope that change is possible despite decades of exile and hardship.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-reza-palhavi-democracy-hopes-60-minutes/