Will Reza Pahlavi lead transition of power in Iran? Exiled crown prince says he ‘accepts responsibility’ | VIDEO

Amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has said that the citizens of his country have asked him to lead the “transition” after the current regime is gone, and that he accepts the responsibility.

In a video shared by CBN News, Pahlavi says, “.... Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that. My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilised, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box.”

He said that he will not “repeat the mistakes of the past transitions” and called on the Arab world to recognise and engage with the transitional government. “We will avoid the Ba'athification scenarios and maintain as many bureaucrats and public servants in transition as possible. Iranians have made their choice at an enormous price. Now I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us to prepare to recognise and engage our transitional government.”

Pahlavi said that his transitional government’s diplomacy will be based on "mutual respect and shared interest" rather than "exportation of ideology". “Together, we can build a Middle East our children will be proud to inherit. Take this new path with us,” he said.

The exiled crown prince’s remarks come at a time when US President Donald Trump has dismissed the chances of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father, who was killed in a military strike at the start of the war.

Reuters quoted Trump as saying that the United States must be involved in choosing the next leader of Iran. The president, while referring to the leadership succession in Iran, drew a parallel to Venezuela, where the US removed President Nicolas Maduro in January, leaving Delcy Rodriguez, his number two, in charge, who, Trump said, "has done a wonderful job." When asked whether Pahlavi was a possibility, Trump said, "I think everybody's in the mix. It's very early."

Interestingly, a few days ago, when asked the same question, Trump had acknowledged Pahlavi, the son of the last shah, as a “very nice person" but had downplayed the possibility of him taking over the leadership of Iran, saying he preferred that a figure from within the country take charge. “Some people like him (Pahlavi), and we haven’t been thinking too much about that," Trump had said, adding, “It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate."

Pahlavi is the eldest son of the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Born in 1960, Pahlavi has lived in exile since the revolution and has emerged as a prominent voice for secular governance, human rights and democratic reforms in the country. He has positioned himself as a symbol of change for Iranians seeking an alternative to the clerical leadership in Tehran. In January, people had taken to the streets in Tehran, following a call for action from Pahlavi. During the rallies, some protesters were heard chanting in support of the former shah. Pahlavi had said then that he would announce his next steps based on the public's response to his call.

On the other hand, Mojtaba Khamenei has been a contender to the post of the country's next Supreme Leader even before his father death, though he has never been elected or appointed to a government position. He has not been seen in public since the Israeli airstrike targeting the supreme leader's offices which killed his 86-year-old father. Mojtaba is believed to be alive and in hiding as American and Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue.