US military intervention in Iran, insisted on by the former Shah's son. “It's a way to save lives”
Reza Pahlavi in Munich Photo: SVEN HOPPE / AFP / Profimedia
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, said a US military intervention in his home country could save lives and called on President Donald Trump's administration not to waste too much time negotiating a nuclear deal with Tehran's clerical leaders, Reuters writes.
The exiled prince said there were signs the Iranian government was on the brink of collapse and that an attack would weaken it or hasten its downfall. Pahlavi made these statements at an event on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
“It's a matter of time. We hope that this attack will speed up the process and that the people can return to the streets and go through with the collapse of the regime,” said Reza Pahlavi, who has lived in the United States since his father was ousted from the throne in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
A widespread campaign of intimidation has led to the arrest of thousands of Iranians as authorities try to deter new protests after last month's crackdown on the bloodiest demonstrations since 1979. The protests began on December 28 as a small demonstration in Tehran's Grand Bazaar against economic hardship, but have spread nationwide.
A fragmented opposition
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The Iranian opposition is fragmented between rival groups and ideological factions – including monarchists who want the Pahlavi dynasty restored to the throne – and appears to have little organized presence inside the Islamic Republic. In an interview with Reuters last month, Trump was skeptical about the level of support for Pahlavi in Iran.
The Trump administration has approached Iran about a possible nuclear deal while sending air forces to the region. US and Iranian diplomats met in Oman last week and further talks are expected next week.
“The people are hoping that at some point they will come to the conclusion that there is no point, that negotiations are getting nowhere. That is why it is time for the United States to step in and do what President Trump has promised to do, to support the people. Intervention is a way to save lives,” said Reza Pahlavi.
In a speech to US soldiers in North Carolina on Friday, Trump said Iran was difficult to negotiate with and suggested that instilling fear in Tehran could prove necessary for a peaceful resolution to the standoff.
Two US officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the US military is preparing for the possibility of a weeks-long sustained operation against Iran if Trump orders the strike.
