BURSTReza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran and son of the last Persian Shah, urged Iranians on Tuesday to prepare for the impending fall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic as the country struggles to fight off attacks from Israel.
"The Islamic Republic has reached its end and is in the process of collapsing," Pahlavi wrote on the social platform X. "Khamenei, like a frightened rat, has gone into hiding underground and has lost control of the situation."
"What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together, we will pass through this sharp turn in history," he added.
The military conflict between Iran and Israel stretched into its fifth day Tuesday, with little signs of slowing as Israel hammers its Middle East rival over Tehran’s nuclear pursuits.
President Trump departed the Group of Seven summit of world leaders in Canada late Monday — a day earlier than expected to return to Washington to monitor the ongoing conflict. He met with top security officials in Situation Room on Tuesday to assess the developments.
He has not ruled out the possibility of U.S. military involvement.
The Pahlavi dynasty ruled Iran from 1925 to 1979, when it was overthrown in the Islamic Revolution.
Pahlavi, penning his social media posts in English and Farsi, directed the message to his "fellow countrymen" and encouraged an uprising.
"Now is the time to rise; the time to reclaim Iran," he wrote. "Let us all come forward ... and bring about the end of this regime."
Pahlavi advised that there is a plan to establish a democratic government in Iran within 100 days of the collapse of the Islamic Republic.
He also urged "military, law enforcement, security forces and state employees" to join the effort to topple the government under Khamenei.
"Do not stand against the Iranian people for the sake of a regime whose fall has begun and is inevitable," Pahlavi wrote. "Do not sacrifice yourselves for a decaying regime."
"By standing with the people, you can save your lives. Play a historic role in the transition from the Islamic Republic, and take part in building the future of Iran," he added.