Exiled Iranian prince backs regime change new coalition
Reza Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi  concentrates intently on the little cellphone in  his  hand  scrolling through clips of chanting Iranians and explaining why the protests unsettling  his  homeland are different this time. Even as the latest reports suggest the unrest may be ebbing  the scion of Persia's 2 500-year-old monarchy believes Iran's people are writing a new future for themselves  and perhaps for their exiled son.
More than want   he  believes they may succeed.
Iranian officials say they've arrested some 3 700 people since Dec. 28. Some protesters have called for the government's overthrow  and videos show some vocal support for Pahlavi  who left Iran at 17 for military flight school in the United States just before  his cancer-stricken father Mohammad Reza Pahlavi  abandoned the throne for exile. Revolution meant neither  Pahlavi  ever returned.
 Pahlavi  is staying abreast of developments in Iran through what  his  aides describe as a vast network of contacts  inside and outside of the government   he  has maintained for decades. An equally important source: normal Iranians reaching out to  him  directly via social media.
But  Pahlavi  may not be the credible voice for change in a country that  he  hasn't seen in 38 years. Iranian officials accuse  him  of exploiting the instability to advance  his  personal aspirations for power in a part of the world replete with cautionary tales about long-estranged exiles believing they know what's best for their homelands. And Pahlavi's father was hardly a paragon of democracy  ruling lavishly and repressively  and benefiting from a CIA-supported 1953 coup of Iran's prime minster.
While many of the young faces in today's crowds of protesters couldn't conceivably have been born when the last shah still ruled   Pahlavi  believes the support  he  is seeing in text messages and Telegram files is genuine.
"It is not a matter of coincidence or  if you will  nostalgia " said  Pahlavi   57  insisting that a young  scrutinizing Iranian generation is expressing "rapport" with  his  message of inclusion  and rejecting the Islamic Republic's "brainwashing" and exclusion.
 He  outlined a vision of how to achieve democratic change: Intensifying "the struggle" until Iran's government implodes; initiating a transition process; holding popular elections for a constitutional assembly; enshrining secularism and democracy; free and fair voting for a first parliament and government.
But these are broad ideas that would each entail incredibly difficult processes. For example   Pahlavi  said that whatever form Iran's future government takes  it should offer amnesty to military and paramilitary forces such as those in the Revolutionary Guard Corps so they abandon the camp of Khamenei and other hardliners. Such a promise wouldn't resolve their massive stakes in Iran's economy  a source of significant popular disgruntlement.
And what of  Pahlavi 's path in this new Iran? Does it end with him sitting upon the Peacock Throne? Or does he aspire for something akin to the "Baba" role played by Mohammed Zahir Shah  Afghanistan's deposed king who returned after the fall of the Taliban as a symbolic but powerless figure of national unity?
"I don't know  to be honest with you. I know what I need to do now "  Pahlavi  answered. "I've never been preoccupied with my personal role or destiny " he said  describing fair elections in Iran as his "only mission in life " replacing the current votes for presidents and parliamentarians among pre-approved candidates.
"Of course  I stand ready to serve my country  " Pahlavi  said  noncommittally. "I have no idea in what capacity it may or may not be. I may end up just being a regular citizen living the rest of my days  or I may be called upon to play a bigger role."
[TGT] concentrates intently on the little cellphone in   [TGT]   hand  scrolling through clips of chanting Iranians and explaining why the protests unsettling   [TGT]   homeland are different this time. Even as the latest reports suggest the unrest may be ebbing  the scion of Persia's 2 500-year-old monarchy believes Iran's people are writing a new future for themselves  and perhaps for their exiled son.
More than want   he  believes they may succeed.
Iranian officials say they've arrested some 3 700 people since Dec. 28. Some protesters have called for the government's overthrow  and videos show some vocal support for  [TGT] who left Iran at 17 for military flight school in the United States just before  his cancer-stricken father Mohammad Reza Pahlavi  abandoned the throne for exile. Revolution meant neither   [TGT] ever returned.
  [TGT] is staying abreast of developments in Iran through what   [TGT]   aides describe as a vast network of contacts  inside and outside of the government    [TGT]   has maintained for decades. An equally important source: normal Iranians reaching out to   [TGT]   directly via social media.
But   [TGT] may not be the credible voice for change in a country that   [TGT]   hasn't seen in 38 years. Iranian officials accuse   [TGT]   of exploiting the instability to advance   [TGT]   personal aspirations for power in a part of the world replete with cautionary tales about long-estranged exiles believing they know what's best for their homelands. And Pahlavi's father was hardly a paragon of democracy  ruling lavishly and repressively  and benefiting from a CIA-supported 1953 coup of Iran's prime minster.
While many of the young faces in today's crowds of protesters couldn't conceivably have been born when the last shah still ruled   Pahlavi  believes the support  he  is seeing in text messages and Telegram files is genuine.
"It is not a matter of coincidence or  if you will  nostalgia " said  Pahlavi   57  insisting that a young  scrutinizing Iranian generation is expressing "rapport" with  his  message of inclusion  and rejecting the Islamic Republic's "brainwashing" and exclusion.
 He  outlined a vision of how to achieve democratic change: Intensifying "the struggle" until Iran's government implodes; initiating a transition process; holding popular elections for a constitutional assembly; enshrining secularism and democracy; free and fair voting for a first parliament and government.
But these are broad ideas that would each entail incredibly difficult processes. For example   Pahlavi  said that whatever form Iran's future government takes  it should offer amnesty to military and paramilitary forces such as those in the Revolutionary Guard Corps so they abandon the camp of Khamenei and other hardliners. Such a promise wouldn't resolve their massive stakes in Iran's economy  a source of significant popular disgruntlement.
And what of  Pahlavi 's path in this new Iran? Does it end with him sitting upon the Peacock Throne? Or does he aspire for something akin to the "Baba" role played by Mohammed Zahir Shah  Afghanistan's deposed king who returned after the fall of the Taliban as a symbolic but powerless figure of national unity?
"I don't know  to be honest with you. I know what I need to do now "  Pahlavi  answered. "I've never been preoccupied with my personal role or destiny " he said  describing fair elections in Iran as his "only mission in life " replacing the current votes for presidents and parliamentarians among pre-approved candidates.
"Of course  I stand ready to serve my country  " Pahlavi  said  noncommittally. "I have no idea in what capacity it may or may not be. I may end up just being a regular citizen living the rest of my days  or I may be called upon to play a bigger role."