‘End nuclear programme, establish secular democracy’: Reza Pahlavi lays out vision for a ‘new chapter in Iran’

“Under the yoke of the Islamic Republic, Iran is identified in your minds with terrorism, extremism, and poverty. The real Iran is a different Iran. A beautiful, peace-loving, and flourishing Iran.

It is the Iran that existed before the Islamic Republic, and it is the Iran that will rise again from its ashes the day the Islamic Republic falls,” Pahlavi said.

Will end Iran’s nuclear military programme

According to him, Iran will reconcile with its neighbours and act as a friend and a stabilising force in the region.

“In security and foreign policy, Iran’s nuclear military program will end. Support for terrorist groups will cease immediately. A free Iran will work with regional and global partners to confront terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and extremist Islamism,” he said.

Opening up to the world

Iran has had no diplomatic relations with the US since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but Pahlavi said Tehran will normalise ties with America and also recognise Israel.

“In diplomacy, relations with the United States will be normalized and our friendship with America and her people will be restored. The State of Israel will be recognized immediately. We will pursue the expansion of the Abraham Accords into the Cyrus accords bringing together a free Iran, Israel, and the Arab world,” he said.

Pahlavi, who was forced to flee Iran as a teenager and lived in exile in the US for nearly five decades, said his vision for the country is grounded in national interest, stability, and cooperation.

“To achieve this, now is the time to stand with the Iranian people. The fall of the Islamic Republic and the establishment of a secular, democratic government in Iran will not only restore dignity to my people, it will benefit the region and the world,” he said.

To all of our friends around the world,

Under the yoke of the Islamic Republic, Iran is identified in your minds with terrorism, extremism, and poverty. The real Iran is a different Iran. A beautiful, peace-loving, and flourishing Iran.

It is the Iran that existed before the… pic.twitter.com/IhK6ZRYDY0

— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 15, 2026

Can Pahlavi unite Iran?

Pahlavi’s supporters in the West ​have pointed to the videos of protesters in Iran chanting his name as evidence his popularity is growing, saying he is the only figure able to unite the country if the Islamic Republic implodes.

While Pahlavi has gained the support of some of the protesters, many, including some Western diplomats, are sceptical of his ability to unite and lead the country.

A Western diplomat told Reuters that Pahlavi’s name may have been used by street protesters because there were few other recognisable opposition figures, but that there was no sign he commanded the sort of domestic support that could make him a future leader.
A European official said a big spike in protest numbers after a call for street action by foreign opponents of the government, including Pahlavi, showed his stature may be broader than was previously understood.

However, any role he played would need to be in the context of a wider democratic movement, said Iranian analyst and former diplomat Mehrdad Khonsari.

“You need ‌a coalition of people who believe in democratic values in order to sort of lighten the weight and give greater confidence to people,” he said.