Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah (king), issued a statement welcoming the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a response published by The Washington Post, Pahlavi elaborated on his views, first thanking U.S. President Donald Trump for his message to the Iranian people that “the hour of your freedom is near.”
He wrote that for nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic has “undermined the sovereignty of its neighbors, fueled conflicts across the globe, and pursued nuclear weapons and long-range missiles to deliver them.”
He stated that the Islamic Republic’s “most horrific crimes” were committed at home, including the killing of thousands of protesters during a crackdown on demonstrators in January.
Pahlavi said the country’s path forward should include a new constitution drafted and ratified through a referendum, followed by free elections with “international oversight.”
“History rarely announces its turning points in advance. But there are moments when courage, leadership, and solidarity can change the course of nations,” he wrote.