Reza Pahlavi: Unity of Iran's Popular Forces More Important than Unity of the Opposition

Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
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Reza Pahlavi: Unity of Iran's Popular Forces More Important than Unity of the Opposition

Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.

Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s Crown Prince, delivered an address to the Iranian people from Washington DC on June 3.

The biggest alternative to the Islamic Republic are the Iranian people who continue their protests despite oppressive measures of the Iranian regime and shutting down of the internet, Pahlavi said at the press conference that was attended by reporters and political activists.

Asking the military and armed forces to stand by the Iranian people, he stressed that the Iranians abroad should be a voice for the people of Iran.

They should subtitle the videos coming from Iran in the language of the countries they reside in and ask the politicians in their countries to support the protests of Iranian people, Pahlavi added.

Pahlavi’s message was being broadcast live from social media and also Persian-language media based abroad. He also responded to questions by reporters.

Camelia Entekhabifard, Independent Persian’s Editor-in-Chief, was among the attendees and asked: “As you know, in gatherings and protests, many groups speak of you and the Pahlavi dynasty. Given the popularity and influence you have amongst the people, why have you not been able to form a coherent organization consisting of anti-regime political opponents? You spoke of effective strategies inside the country. Please tell us what effective international strategies do you suggest for other countries and the world to recognize the protest movement of Iranian people for overthrowing of the regime? Finally, what’s your prediction of Iranian conditions in the coming year?”

“I believe the most useful thing I can do with my credibility and with the trust my fellow Iranians put in me is to support their demands, give voice to them and strengthen their forces,” Pahlavi replied.

“I don’t claim to be a political leader and give them a blueprint. I have tried for years to bring more coordination to the opposition. Although, the opposition was different in the past than today. My definition of the opposition then is also different from my definition today. As I have said before, today, the real opposition are people inside Iran.”

“The opposition’s previous factionalizing is not the main concern of people of Iran,” Pahlavi remarked.

“Thus, more important than the opposition is the unity of national and popular forces. The opposition that has failed to unite so far is of no use to the Iranian people. An opposition is useful when it knows that, for political competition in the future, it should first create common ground for a political system and popular sovereignty; a rule of law that they could politically compete under.”

“If everybody just does their own things and follows their own demands in a totalitarian way, it will never get anywhere. It won’t be constructive or useful but will bring sabotage.”

Speaking of today’s changed conditions, Pahlavi said: “Most of the people who will help run the country politically and administratively are currently inside Iran. Many of them are even inside the system. Their heart is not with the system and they don’t have an ideological belief in it. But they have come to the conclusion that that the regime is not the answer. Yesterday’s reformists are no longer seeking to reform the system; they must be able to join the secular-democratic forces.”

Continuing his answer to the Independent Persian, Pahlavi spoke of the need for “national solidarity and national reconciliation.”

“Those who seek a better tomorrow must not be separated from one another. We shouldn’t let people be left behind,” he urged.

“But those who have been partners in crime of this regime and have had a hand in crimes of the regime, whether politically or militarily, must be accountable before the Iranian people,” Iran’s heir to the throne demanded.

To reach a better future, events of the past should not be a “basis for enmity and opposition,” Pahlavi declared.

“The concern of youth who are losing their lives on the street is not focused on the decades-old differences of this or that political current. This is not their bread and butter. This won’t be an answer to them or a solution for their future.”

“I won’t waste a second of my time on people who are still part of the problem,” Pahlavi said. “I will dedicate all my time to those who want to be part of the solution. Even those who were revolutionaries yesterday. Everybody has the right to change their opinions. This is among the fundamental principles of freedom and human rights.”

Pahlavi continued: “The freedom we seek today will be reached if we seek the full potential of the Iranian people. There can be no basis for this other than unity and collaboration.”

“A win-win scenario would be to align the majority of society with this vision. A society will never ever be one hundred percent united. This hasn’t happened anywhere. But I believe that what is happening in Iran today and the demands of the Iranian people is the voice of a majority; So I don’t see why this solution won’t work.”

According to Pahlavi, the only people standing against the demands of the majority of the Iranian people for change are those “who seek to keep power for themselves the bitter end” and “their numbers is increasingly dwindling.”

He said the society itself had recognized “that the regime is scared” and this is why despite the oppression and killing, people today have less fear compared to the 2017 and 2019 movements. He said this was due to “the struggle waged every day by the Iranian people; a struggle in which we all have a role.”

Pahlavi said he had tried to play his own role in all the previous years: “I have always been a voice for my fellow Iranians. By giving advice and suggestions for joint work; By having relations with all political and civic currents in the country.”

“Most importantly, I have tried to do more listening from the people than talking to them. Whatever I’ve said has been based on my understanding from the demands of my fellow Iranians, especially the young generation. This is the future generation that will inherit the country.”

“I have tried to keep this torch burning for 40 years. We should pass it on to the next generation so that they won’t be without shelter, purpose and future. Iran will one day be ruled by this youth. They must know that they are not alone and have hope that the future is theirs; the cost they are bearing won’t be in vain.”



‘Bad Day:’ Trump Reflects on Assassination Bid One Year Later

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (AFP)
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (AFP)
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‘Bad Day:’ Trump Reflects on Assassination Bid One Year Later

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (AFP)
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump says "mistakes were made" but he's satisfied with the investigation into his near-assassination a year ago, as the Secret Service announced disciplinary actions Thursday against six staff members.

In excerpts of an interview on Fox News' "My View with Lara Trump" show, airing Saturday, Trump, 79, said the elite close-protection service "had a bad day."

"There were mistakes made. And that shouldn't have happened," Trump said in the interview conducted by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who has her own show on the Trump-friendly news channel.

The Republican -- whose ear was nicked by a bullet while he addressed an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania -- noted that the would-be assassin had access to a "prime building" overlooking the rally.

One bystander was killed and two other people in addition to Trump were wounded before a counter-sniper killed the gunman -- 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.

The sniper "was able to get him from a long distance with one shot. If he didn't do that, you would have had an even worse situation," Trump said. "His name is David and he did a fantastic job."

Speaking of the post-incident investigation and "the larger plot," Trump said "I'm satisfied with it."

"It was unforgettable," he said, recalling the drama. "I didn't know exactly what was going on. I got whacked. There's no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming."

The Secret Service said in a statement that the July 13, 2024, attack was "nothing short of a tragedy" and "an operational failure that the Secret Service will carry as a reminder of the critical importance of its zero-fail mission."

The agency cited communication, technical and human errors and said reforms were underway, including on coordination between different law enforcement bodies and establishment of a division dedicated to aerial surveillance.

Six unidentified staff have been disciplined, the Secret Service said. The punishments range from 10 to 42 days suspension without pay and all six were put into restricted or non-operational positions.

Among measures beefing up security, is an expansion of the fleet of armored golf carts to carry the president. Trump spends frequent weekends at his golf courses and in September last year was allegedly the target of a failed assassination plot while playing in Florida.

"The agency has taken many steps to ensure such an event can never be repeated in the future," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement.