Name: Reza Pahlavi on the future of Iran
Uploaded: 2026-03-03T21:32:24.000Z
Duration: 13 min 15 s
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The United States and Israel conducted a second day of strikes on targets across Iran.

Tehran has retaliated with missile attacks on Israel, neighboring countries and US Military bases in the region.

At least three American service members have been killed.

Scott Pelley is in Paris following events including what could be next for Iran.

Tonight, the most prominent member of the Iranian opposition says he believes the Iranian regime is collapsing and he would like to lead a transition that makes Iran safe for the world.

65 year old Reza Pahlavi is the son of the former king or Shah of Iran who was deposed in 1979 by revolutionaries and hardline Islamic clerics.

In that year of revolution, Pahlavi was 18 years old and living in Lubbock, Texas, where the US Air Force was training him to be a fighter pilot.

He has lived in exile 47 years, mostly in the United States.

But tonight he's in Paris where we asked him if he wants to be king, what Iran's policies should be toward Israel.

We started our interview with the news that the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, had been killed in the opening hours of the war.

It is definitely a sort of earth shattering event in the sense that when people identify the entire monstrosity of a regime that is depicted ultimately by the chief monster of these monsters, when he's gone, the minute such a personality disappears, it's like elation.

It was like, oh my God, it has finally occurred.

Well, I mean, ever since this regime has taken over, how many Iranians lives have been lost?

I don't think you can have an example of such level of atrocity ever in the history of Iran, or at least contemporary Iran that has occurred under this regime.

And this is all because of Ali Khamenei's insistence and persistence to keep himself and his mafia regime in power at the expense of the Iranian people.

I don't know how else can it depict it other than being true monsters in the real sense of the word.

This past January, Iranians poured into the streets.

Pahlavi urged them on and hundreds of thousands marched the regime, gunned down an estimated 20,000 citizens.

This is video overnight after the announcement of the death of the Ayatollah in the city of Isfahan.

That means that finally we are ready to go back to the streets.

Even though I've cautioned them that for now, you better take care of your own safety and stay at home.

The time will come to go back on the streets.

But then again, you see that despite that, people still are brave enough to say to hell with it, because to us, it's liberation.

To us, it's like a humanitarian intervention to protect lives that could otherwise be continued to be lost.

It gives the Iranian people a real opportunity now when they see the end of this regime that was always bound to collapse whether there was an intervention or not.

I want to make sure your audience understand that, that we were prepared to fight the fight.

There was too much blood between us and this regime.

We were committed to fight regardless of outside intervention.

They're thanking President Trump for actually standing on his word and acting upon his word.

Do you actually believe this regime could fall after almost 50 years?

Prince Reza Pahlavi told us he wants to lead Iran in a transition to democracy.

Are you saying in this interview that you wouldn't lead Iran?

They trust me as a transitional leader, not as the future king or future president or future whatever.

I'm totally focused on my mission in life, which is, let me bring the country to a point that they can make that free choice.

Having said mission accomplished, you imagine peace with Israel?

Of course, in modern history, Iran actually gave refuge to Jews that were escaping the Nazis during the Second World War, giving them refuge and sanctuary in Iran.

The strategic importance of having a partnership with Israel is critical.

What are the principles on which you would build a new Iran?

I think what today unites us are four core principles that I think is the subject of how we can work together towards that end.

Number one is Iran's territorial integrity.

Number two is the clear separation of religion from state, which is a prerequisite to democracy.

Understanding what it means to live under a religious dictatorship.

Number three is, of course, equality of all citizens under the law and individual liberties.

And most importantly, the process, a democratic process to allow the people to elect and decide what their future system of governance should be.

What would happen to the nuclear weapons program?

I don't think Iran has any need to pursue a military weaponizing of the nuclear program.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was close to the United States, but

he brutally suppressed opposition and showered Friends with lavish wealth.

In 1979, he left Iran amid rising political tension and a hardline cleric, Ayatollah Khomeini, returned from exile to lead a revolution.

Iranians blamed the US for supporting the king, and

revolutionaries overran the US embassy in Tehran and held 52Americans hostage for 444 days.

Your father's reign is remembered for repression and opulent wealth.

And I wonder why you believe the people would welcome you now.

Well, you know, that's perhaps one narrative, but

when you look at a lot of people who were at the time living that era, they were telling me, you know what?

We recognize where we were and where we are now.

And there were people who were in those so called prisons that were notorious or repressive or whatever you call.

They were imprisoned under the previous regime.

People were killed in your father's regime.

Look, look, my father left Iran voluntarily to avoid bloodshed.

A king doesn't build his throne on the blood of his own people.

If the nation today wants me out, I would leave.

You have been out of the country for nearly 50 years.

Why would the people want you if they thought that was an issue?

I don't think they'll be calling my name by the millions on the streets of Iran.

I think that part of the reason people trust me only is because they cannot associate me in any way or form to the revolution or to be part of this regime.

The very same people who today are in the streets, all the young kids that are getting shot and massacred by this regime, are a generation that turns to their parents and tell them, what the hell were you thinking?

What was that madness to think that this Khomeini character is going to be our solution and our path to freedom?

But from the day I left, I never left Iran.

Iran had been on my mind every single year of my life, Every single.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing that in my mind is Iran.

Pahlavi told us he is in touch with the Trump administration and members of Congress.

My message to President Trump is that I'm here to echo and join millions of my compatriots inside and outside of Iran to thank him for having done and having the courage to do what is not easy but intervene.

And he will go down in the annals of Iranian history as the most Celebrated foreign leader that changed the ball game and changed the world as a result.

In January, President Trump said this about you.