Iran’s exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi reacted to claims surrounding the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declaring that the Islamic Republic has “effectively come to an end.”
In a statement posted on X and translated from Persian, Pahlavi described Khamenei as “the bloodthirsty Zahhak of our time” and “the killer of tens of thousands of Iran’s bravest sons and daughters.”
He wrote that Khamenei had been “erased from the pages of history” and said the regime would soon be “consigned to the dustbin of history.”
‘No legitimacy nor survival’
Pahlavi warned that any move by regime insiders to appoint a successor would fail. “Any attempt by the remnants of the regime to appoint a successor to Khamenei is doomed to failure from the outset,” he said. “Whoever they place in his stead will have neither legitimacy nor survival; and without doubt, they will also be complicit in the crimes of this regime.”
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He also addressed Iran’s military, security and police forces directly, calling this their “last chance to join the people” and help ensure “Iran’s stable transition to a free and prosperous future.”
Call for mass presence in streets
While acknowledging that Khamenei’s death “cannot bring back the spilled blood,” Pahlavi said it could serve as “a balm for the scorched hearts” of grieving families and the relatives of those he described as martyrs of Iran’s “Lion and Sun National Revolution.”
He urged citizens to remain alert, writing: “This marks the beginning of our great national celebration; but it is not the end of the road. Stay vigilant and prepared. The time for a massive and decisive presence in the streets is very near.”
Pahlavi ended his message with a call for unity: “Together, united and steadfast, we will secure the final victory, and we will celebrate Iran’s freedom across our Ahura-created homeland.”
“Long live Iran” he wrote before signing off.
Khamenei’s death comes after the US and Israeli military conducted a joint operation in Iran, bombing and targeting several Iranian military leaders and governmental sites. In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump called Khamenei ‘one of the most evil people in history, further adding he is dead.
