Reza Pahlavi pledges to return to Iran after claiming calls from the people to lead

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s deposed shah, has pledged to return to Iran from his exile in the United States.

The 65-year-old did not give a date for his return, and it remains unclear whether he would be allowed to enter Iran or what consequences he might face as an opposition politician.

Protests erupted across Iran in late December over the deepening economic crisis and rising inflation, quickly growing into wider demonstrations against the Islamic Republic’s authoritarian rule.

In a video message on X, Pahlavi said the Iranian people are demanding a “new and credible path” forward.

He said: “The battle in Iran today is between occupation and liberation. The Iranian people have called me to lead. I will return to Iran.”

He added that Iranians are already taking action on the ground and said it is now time for the international community to join them.

“I will return to Iran. The people of Iran have risen to reclaim their country. History will honour those who stand with them,” he said.

Pahlavi, who was appointed crown prince by his father, the late Shah of Persia, has lived in exile in the United States for decades.