Regional
Son of Iran’s last shah urges US military intervention in Iran
The exiled son of Iran’s toppled shah has said there were signs that the Iranian government was on the brink of collapse and that an attack could weaken it or accelerate its fall.
Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi on Saturday said U.S. military intervention in Iran could save lives and urged President Donald Trump’s administration not to spend too long negotiating with Tehran’s clerical rulers on a nuclear deal.
The exiled son of Iran’s toppled shah told Reuters in an interview that there were signs that the Iranian government was on the brink of collapse and that an attack could weaken it or accelerate its fall.
Pahlavi was speaking on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where officials from the Iranian government are banned.
“It’s a matter of time. We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime’s downfall,” said Pahlavi, who is based in the United States and has lived outside Iran since before his father was toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
A campaign of mass arrests and intimidation has led to the arrests of thousands as Iranian authorities seek to deter further protests after last month’s crackdown on the bloodiest unrest since 1979.
The protests began on December 28 as a modest demonstration in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over economic hardship and quickly spread nationwide.
Iran’s opposition is fragmented among rival groups and ideological factions – including the monarchists who back Pahlavi – and appears to have little organized presence inside the Islamic Republic.
In an interview with Reuters last month, Trump sounded skeptical about the level of Pahlavi’s support inside Iran.
The Trump administration has engaged with Iran to see if a nuclear deal can be struck as Washington amassed military forces in the region. U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week and further talks in the coming week are expected.
“People are hoping that at some point the decision will be made that there’s no use, there’s no point, we’re not going to get anywhere with negotiations. Therefore, that’s time for the United States to intervene and do what President Trump promised he will do, to have the people’s back,” Pahlavi said.
“Intervention is a way to save lives,” he added.
On Friday, in a speech to U.S. troops in North Carolina, Trump said Iran has been difficult in nuclear negotiations and suggested that instilling fear in Tehran may be necessary to resolve the standoff peacefully.
Two U.S. officials speaking on the condition of anonymity told Reuters on Friday that the U.S. military was preparing for the possibility of a sustained, weeks-long operation against Iran if Trump ordered an attack.
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new leader, said on Thursday that Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases on their territory, as Tehran will continue its attacks against them.
In his first statement, broadcast and read out by state television, Khamenei told the Iranian people: “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs.”
He added: “The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret! The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”
However, state television did not explain why Khamenei’s first remarks were read by a presenter rather than delivered in a video.
No images of him have yet been released since the strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.
In these remarks, Mojtaba Khamenei also confirmed that his wife, sister, and other family members were killed.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the conflict that erupted on February 28, warning that the humanitarian situation is rapidly worsening.
In a statement released Thursday, the UN refugee agency said the figure is based on preliminary assessments of uprooted households and could rise further if hostilities continue.
“This number is likely to increase as fighting persists, signaling a troubling escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said.
The agency noted that many of the displaced have fled their homes in search of safety, often moving to nearby provinces or staying with relatives and host communities. Others have sought temporary shelter in public buildings and informal settlements, placing additional pressure on local resources.
Humanitarian organizations say the sudden movement of millions of people is creating urgent needs for shelter, food, medical care and basic services. Aid agencies are working with local authorities to assess conditions and deliver assistance to affected communities.
The displacement crisis comes amid broader regional instability that has raised concerns among international organizations about the potential for further population movements both inside Iran and across borders.
UNHCR said it is continuing to monitor developments closely and is coordinating with humanitarian partners to scale up assistance as the situation evolves.
Regional
Trump on Iran: We won, but don’t want to leave early
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that “we won” the Iran war but that the United States will stay in the fight to finish the job.
“You never like to say too early you won. We won,” Trump told a campaign-style rally in Hebron, Kentucky. “In the first hour it was over.”
He said the United States had knocked out 58 Iranian naval ships.
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
“We don’t want to leave early do we?” Trump said. “We got to finish the job.”
He said the United States has “virtually destroyed Iran.” He seemed to signal that the United States would continue the fight for now.
“We don’t want to go back every two years,” he said.
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