Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said the country may be approaching a pivotal political moment following a week of US and Israeli attacks that significantly weakened the nation’s military and leadership. Speaking to CBS’s 60 Minutes and the All-In Podcast, Pahlavi described the current situation as “our chance now,” outlining his vision for a democratic transition after nearly five decades of clerical rule.

Pahlavi, who fled Iran at 17 during the 1979 revolution, said he does not see himself as a future ruler but as a transitional figure helping guide Iranians toward democratic elections.

“My focus is on the process, not the outcome,” he told the All-In Podcast, stressing that the ultimate form of government must be decided by the Iranian people themselves.

Preparing for a post-regime Iran

Plans for transition are being developed through the Iran Prosperity Project (IPP), a framework created with input from economists, legal experts, and policy advisers to prepare for a post-regime scenario.

“I created an organisation called IPP… but its first focus is the first 100 days, how we immediately stabilise the situation in Iran,” Pahlavi said on the podcast.

He outlined four guiding principles for a future government: preserving Iran’s territorial integrity, separating religion from the state, ensuring equality under the law, and establishing a democratic political system.

“Number one is Iran’s territorial integrity. Number two is the clear separation of religion from state… number three is equality of all citizens under the law… and the democratic process itself,” he said on 60 Minutes.

Nuclear program and international trust

Pahlavi also suggested that a democratic government should dismantle Iran’s military nuclear programme to rebuild trust internationally and remove sanctions affecting the economy.

“I think it should be totally dismantled,” he told 60 Minutes, adding that Iran has “no need to pursue a military weaponising of the nuclear program.”

He highlighted the country’s untapped economic potential, noting that reconstruction could attract significant international investment.

“Iran is one of the most untapped economic opportunities of the 21st century,” he said on the podcast.

Leadership decision in hands of Iranians

Emphasising the importance of sovereignty, Pahlavi insisted that decisions about Iran’s leadership must rest solely with the nation’s citizens.

“The right to choose the future leaders is only up to the Iranian people,” he said during the All-In Podcast interview.

Asked about returning to Iran after decades in exile, Pahlavi said he would go back as soon as conditions allowed.

“I would like to be able to be there as soon as possible to be able to help as much as I can in this process,” he said.

Born in Tehran in 1960, Pahlavi has lived in exile since the revolution that ended the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic. Over the years, he has remained a prominent voice among opposition groups and segments of the Iranian diaspora advocating a secular democratic system.

(IANS)