Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah, says he will return to Iran and lead the movement

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah, has said he will return to Iran and confirmed his pledge to lead a movement aimed at reclaiming the country from what he described as a hostile anti-Iranian force.

Speaking at a press conference in Washington, Pahlavi called on Iranians for urgent support, saying the ruling regime was acting “like a wounded animal,” desperately trying to cling to power as it faces collapse.

“Today, as my compatriots call on me to provide leadership, I reaffirm my commitment to stand at the head of a movement that will take our country back,” Pahlavi said.

He outlined six steps he said the international community must take, including protecting the Iranian people by weakening the regime’s repressive capabilities, maintaining maximum economic pressure, ensuring unrestricted internet access, expelling Iranian diplomats from world capitals, pursuing legal action against those responsible for crimes against humanity, and demanding the immediate release of all political prisoners. He also called on governments to prepare for a democratic transition in Iran and to commit to recognising a legitimate transitional government when the time comes.

Pahlavi said Iranian authorities had killed hundreds of people during protests, adding that the situation went beyond repression.

“This is no longer simple repression. It is a foreign occupation dressed in religious robes,” he said, predicting that the Islamic Republic would fall.