Son of Iran’s late shah says ‘final victory’ near

The son of Iran’s last shah voices confidence in victory against the Islamic Republic after the United States and Israel launched an attack.

Reza Pahlavi releases a video message online shortly after the strikes, suggesting coordination after he repeatedly urged President Donald Trump to intervene.

“We are very close to final victory. I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran,” says Pahlavi, who lives in the Washington area.

My dear compatriots,

Decisive moments lie before us.

The assistance that the President of the United States had promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived. This is a humanitarian intervention, and its target is the Islamic Republic, its apparatus of repression, and… https://t.co/YAq3rJLzdd pic.twitter.com/VVQ17mvhJ9

— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) February 28, 2026

Pahlavi, who has called for a secular democracy in Iran but does not enjoy universal support among the Islamic Republic’s critics, calls on Iranians to wait but eventually take to the streets.

“In these sensitive hours and days, more than ever we must stay focused on our ultimate goal: reclaiming Iran,” he says. “I ask you to remain in your homes for now and preserve your safety and security. Stay vigilant and ready so that, at the appropriate time — which I will announce to you precisely — you can return to the streets for the final action.”

The Islamic Republic last month killed many thousands of people as it crushed a mass uprising in one of the greatest threats to its rule since the 1979 revolution overthrew the late pro-Western shah.