In an exclusive interview with Reuters in the Oval Office, Donald Trump stated that there is a likelihood of the fall of the government of Iranian clerics.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene to defend protesters in Iran, where thousands have died in a crackdown against the rule of imams. But on Wednesday he hesitated to give full support to Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, who was ousted from power in 1979.
“He seems very nice, but I don't know how he would cope in his own country” — Trump said. “And we haven't really gotten there yet,” he added.
Trump questions Pahlavi's abilities
“I don't know if his country would accept his leadership, but if it did, I wouldn't mind,” he said.
Trump's comments went further questioning Pahlavi's ability to lead Iran. Last week, Trump said he had no plans to meet with him.
The unrest in Iran began two weeks ago as demonstrations against dire economic conditions and has escalated rapidly in recent days. It was considered the most violent since the Islamic revolution of 1979, which established a system of rule by Shiite clergy in Iran instead of a monarchy.
An Iranian official reported more than 2,000 deaths. A human rights organization estimated the number of victims at over 2,600.
Trump has been openly threatening to intervene in Iran for several days, without providing any details. In a Tuesday interview with CBS News, he announced “very decisive action” if Iran executes protesters. He also called on Iranians to continue protests and take over institutions, declaring that “help is on the way.”
Who is Reza Pahlavi?
The 65-year-old Pahlavi, who lives in the United States, has lived outside Iran since before his father was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution and has become an important voice in the protests. Iran's opposition is fragmented among rival groups and ideological factions – including pro-Pahlavi monarchists – and appears to have little organized presence in the Islamic Republic, Reuters writes.
Echoing Trump's warning, Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House, said Pahlavi had gained traction among some protesters and had contributed somewhat to their mobilization. “But I wouldn't exaggerate. It's very difficult to determine how much support he or any other person in Iran has,” she said.
The birth of Reza Pahlavi in 1960 was a moment of national significance, with crowds lining the streets for miles between the hospital and the royal palace to celebrate the arrival of the Iranian heir to the throne.
In 1978, Prince Reza left his homeland to attend aviation school in the United States. A year later, his father fled Iran during the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution.
Less than a month later, the Iranian revolution triumphed, the monarchical system collapsed, and the shah himself died in exile less than two years later.
After the revolution, the prince began studying political science at the University of Massachusetts, but during his father's illness he went to Cairo to stay with his family. He later earned his bachelor's degree by correspondence from the University of Southern California.
During the Iran-Iraq war, he even offered his services to the Iranian army, but his offer was not responded to.
After the shah's death, the title passed to his eldest son. On his 21st birthday, Reza Pahlavi, who had previously served as crown prince, declared his “readiness to assume duties and obligations as the legal king of Iran.” He postponed taking the constitutional oath until “divine confirmation would enable the fulfillment of the conditions.” Nevertheless, he swore “by the tricolor flag of Iran and the Koran” that he would always act as a “factor of national cohesion,” writes Euronews.
Despite consistent calls from monarchists for his return to Iran and the restoration of his throne, he repeatedly emphasized that does not necessarily seek to restore the monarchy. Instead, Reza Pahlavi said his goal was to overthrow the ruling regime and then have a referendum in which Iranians could freely determine their future political system. This position alienated both traditional and radical monarchists and led to divisions in his support base.
