https://arab.news/j7vv9
- Appearing on Frankly Speaking, Pahlavi warns that current US talks with Tehran are futile as regime only responds to increased pressure
- Pahlavi praises Saudi Vision 2030 reforms and Abraham Accords, says such opportunities are the dream of every Iranian today
DUBAI: Reza Pahlavi, the crown prince of Iran in exile, sees the outcome of the talks on a new nuclear deal as 鈥渇utile鈥� as long as the current regime is in place in Tehran.
鈥淩egardless of what is trying to be negotiated here, the net outcome is that it鈥檚 futile. The regime is simply using whatever it has as a means of blackmail 鈥� forcing the world to deal with it so it can continue maintaining its grip on the geopolitics of our region,鈥� he told Arab News.
In a , Pahlavi also talked about future Iranian relationships with 抖阴短视频 and other Middle East states, including Israel, once the ayatollah regime has been ended, and the desire on the part of most Iranians to return to a normal post-theocratic life.
He insisted that he does not have ambitions to be a new 鈥渟hah鈥� in Iran, and that it would be up to Iranians to choose what kind of government they want to live under.
鈥淚鈥檓 not running for any office. My only mission in life is to get to that finish line, which is the liberation of Iran and, post this regime, to have an opportunity to establish a new secular, democratic system 鈥� That day will be the end of my political mission in life,鈥� he said.
Pahlavi, the eldest son of the late shah, was heir apparent to the throne until the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
Since then, he has lived mostly in the US as an activist/advocate against the regime.
Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the late shah, sees the outcome of the talks on a new nuclear deal as 鈥渇utile鈥�. (Screengrab)
Pahlavi had a hard message for US President Joe Biden amid indirect talks between Washington and Tehran on a new version of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to regulate Iran鈥檚 nuclear industry and re-establish economic links to the rest of the world.
鈥淭his regime can鈥檛 change its behavior because its entire existence depends on its viral state of wanting to export an ideology and dominate the region either directly or via proxies,鈥� said Pahlavi.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen in fact that (US sanctions), for the most part, increased pressure on the regime and forced it to curtail its ability to do whatever it wanted to do. Any relaxation (of pressure) emboldens (the regime) and enables it to further its constant state of creating instability in the region.鈥�
Pahlavi believes that if economic sanctions are lifted, it would only increase the potential for Iran to fund terrorism in the region, where it has orchestrated attacks on 抖阴短视频 and other countries through its militias in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
鈥淚 think we鈥檝e seen that happen already once during the Obama administration, where a tremendous amount of money was released to the regime and none of it was spent on the people of Iran,鈥� he said.
Pahlavi looks forward to a new era of good relations between Iran and its neighbors, including 抖阴短视频, after a change of regime in Tehran.
鈥淟ook at the way the relationship was before the revolution. When King Faisal of 抖阴短视频 passed away, there was a seven-day mourning period in Iran. That鈥檚 the extent of what the relationship was,鈥� Pahlavi said.
鈥淭he people haven鈥檛 changed; the regime has. And as a result of its negative impact in the region, we can certainly anticipate a future where mutual respect and cordial relationship will be conducive to better trade, better commerce, more opportunities and (improvement of) people鈥檚 lives, standard of living, healthcare, regional stability, security coordination and many (other) things.鈥�
In a wide-ranging Frankly Speaking interview, Reza Pahlavi also talked about future Iranian relationships with 抖阴短视频 and other Middle East states. (Screengrab)
Pahlavi praised the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the Saudi economy and liberalize social and cultural life, as well as the Abraham Accords between Israel and some Middle East countries.
鈥淥ther nations are moving forward (in order) not to depend on oil as a major source of revenue, readjusting their economies and having plans for the future, and all of that in conjunction and cooperation with each other. That鈥檚 the model to follow,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 be more happy to see that evolution, and the Abraham Accords, and everything that comes after, because we鈥檙e in the direction of progress and regional cooperation and opportunities.鈥�
Pahlavi contrasted the role Iran used to play in the Gulf before the revolution with the situation now, where the country and its people are increasingly isolated.
鈥淭here was a time when people in Dubai were dreaming of coming to Tehran to go to our supermarkets and shop in our stores. Today the dream of every Tehrani is to go the furthest move away from Iran,鈥� he said.
Pahlavi insisted that there is no deep-seated hatred on the part of Iranians for Arabs, Israelis or Americans, pointing out that students in Tehran had recently refused to take part in regime-organized demonstrations against foreign countries.
鈥淎 nation like Iran, which has a long history of civilization, of culture, of tolerance within itself, has never had an issue of antagonism vis-a-vis any other culture or nation,鈥� he said.
The regime鈥檚 theocratic rule has also alienated more Iranians from religion, Pahlavi added. 鈥淚 think religious governance has created a situation where people are steering away from religion. In fact, there鈥檚 much more apathy vis-a-vis any religious sentiment as a result of this regime directly trying to force a politicized religion and impose it on the public,鈥� he said.
鈥淚ranians have learned it the hard way, and I think today you see that even those who are pious in Iran don鈥檛 want this regime because they see the damage that it causes to people鈥檚 faith and to the clerical establishment.鈥�
The Iranian people are emerging from their own 鈥淚slamic Inquisition,鈥� he said, referring to the religious extremism of 16th-century Europe.
Pahlavi also attacked the influence of Iran鈥檚 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which controls much of the country鈥檚 economic infrastructure in alliance with the regime, as revealed in recent leaked comments by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Pahlavi said: 鈥淚 was glad that somebody from the regime itself is dismantling this naive expectation by the Western world that moderates will be able to resolve the issues should they be in a position of control. It鈥檚 a totalitarian system at the end, depending on the decision of one supreme leader.鈥�
He has advocated a democratic and secular system of government for his country, either with an elected president or a constitutional monarchy.
鈥淚t鈥檚 for the people of Iran to ultimately decide the final form, so long as the content is democratic, which is why I鈥檝e asked my fellow compatriots 鈥� whether republicans or monarchists 鈥� in the future to put forth their best model or proposition as to what the final form could be,鈥� he said.
鈥淥nce the regime collapses, we anticipate a period of transition where a temporary government will have to manage the country鈥檚 affairs while a constituent assembly will draft a new constitution, put to debate all these issues that are to be discussed, so that the people of Iran ultimately have a choice of how and what would determine the future.鈥�
According to Pahlavi, greater regional cooperation would help the Middle East overcome many of the profound challenges it faces, such as climate change and water shortages.
鈥淟ong before we can resolve the political crisis, we should worry about the water crisis that exists in our area. This isn鈥檛 only Iran but many other countries also suffering from water crisis problems,鈥� he said.
鈥淚f Iran today was a different Iran, you wouldn鈥檛 have missiles being shipped to Yemen. We鈥檇 have scientists, including Israeli experts who are the best in the field, working at resolving the water crisis for our respective countries.鈥�
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