Updated 20 January 2026 at 23:49 IST
'Your End Is Disgrace, Eternal shame': Iran's Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Warns Khamenei
Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi said that Iran was nearing what he described as a political turning point, stating, “We are closer than ever to the end of this regime. This regime has cracked. Its power has worn down. Its collapse has begun.”
Paris: The exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, on Tuesday issued a sharp statement addressed to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accusing him of crimes against the Iranian people.
Posting on X, Pahlavi wrote, “Today I am speaking to Ali Khamenei, the leader of the regime occupying Iran. You are an anti-Iranian criminal. You have neither honor nor humanity.”
Accusing Khamenei of violence against citizens, he added, “Your hands are stained with the blood of tens of thousands of Iranians. With the blood of children... Of youth... Of the innocent...”
Pahlavi further said, “You, your regime, and all of your mercenaries, will be held accountable for every drop of blood you have spilled. Without exception. We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will not retreat.”
Drawing a comparison with historical Nazi war crimes trials, he wrote, “Just as Nazi criminals were tried and punished in Nuremberg, you and your accomplices will also be tried and punished in the Iranian nation's court.”
Pahlavi warned that the Iranian leadership and those associated with it would not escape accountability, saying, “Your end is disgrace... Eternal shame... No crime goes unanswered.”
He continued, “The names of all those who ordered. Those who carried out the orders. And all of your accomplices. There is no escape. You will have nowhere to hide. The murderers of the people of Iran will have no immunity.”
Turning his message towards Iranians, he wrote, “And you, the great nation of Iran... My brave children... My grieving yet steadfast sisters and brothers: You are not alone. Your resistance has changed history. You stand on the front line of freedom.”
Pahlavi said Iran was nearing what he described as a political turning point, stating, “We are closer than ever to the end of this regime. This regime has cracked. Its power has worn down. Its collapse has begun.”
Calling for unity and courage, he added, “Believe in yourselves. In your unity. In your courage. In your greatness.”
He further wrote, “This regime can no longer silence our awakened and risen nation. It cannot impose fear upon Iran. This regime fears you and your power.”
Pahlavi urged Iranians to remain prepared for renewed demonstrations, saying, “Be ready. The moment to return to the streets will come. Broader. More powerful. More determined than ever. For the liberation of Tehran. For the reclaiming of Iran.”
He framed continued resistance as a commitment to those who have died, writing, “The continuation of this struggle until final victory is not merely a national duty, but a covenant with those who gave their lives on the path of freedom with their dear, precious blood.”
In his concluding message, Pahlavi wrote, “That day is not far... The day we celebrate together the reclaiming of Iran, and say with pride: We stood. We fought. And we prevailed. Long live Iran!”
Pahlavi's statement came as Iranian officials continued to promise tough action against those arrested during recent nationwide protests, while trading barbs with US President Donald Trump amid an ongoing digital blackout, Al Jazeera reported.
On Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made an unusual admission that "several thousands" were killed during the protests, but the theocratic establishment has maintained that agents affiliated with foreign powers, and not state forces, were directly responsible, Al Jazeera reported.
Amid the unrest, Iranian officials have also traded barbs with US President Donald Trump. At the height of the protests, Trump called on Iranians to "take over" government institutions, alleging "help is on the way", before expressing "great respect" for the Iranian leadership. On Saturday, Trump said it was time for an end to the 37-year rule of Khamenei, prompting responses from senior Iranian bodies.
In a statement carried by state media, the Guardian Council condemned the "insult and baseless rhetoric of the criminal and foolish" US president, warning that any transgression against the supreme leader "is considered crossing the red line of the devout people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will entail heavy costs and serious consequences".
Meanwhile, Hossein Afshin, deputy for scientific affairs to the Iranian president, told reporters on Monday that internet restrictions will "gradually" be lifted from the end of the week, without sharing further details.
Published By : Satyaki Baidya
Published On: 20 January 2026 at 23:49 IST