President Donald Trump has found an ally in the exiled Iranian prince.
Trump has threatened to intervene as tensions continue to rise in Iran, where the government has been cracking down on nationwide demonstrations. Iranians have been protesting against the country’s economy and the current clerical regime for weeks. Now, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince of Iran, is calling on Trump to take military action.
Pahlavi appeared on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo to court the president. He appealed to Trump’s desire to be seen as a “peace president” and said the two of them could “make Iran great again.”
“Mr. President, you have already established your legacy as a man committed to peace and fighting evil forces,” Pahlavi said on the conservative network on Sunday. “There is a reason why people in Iran are renaming streets after your name. They know that you’re total opposite to Barack Obama or Joe Biden. They know that you are not going to throw them under the bus as they have had before.”
Pahlavi said he was ready to return to Iran “at the first possible opportunity.” The prince said he had a transition team ready to take over the country and that he was “prepared to die for this cause.” He has not returned to the country since the 1979 Iranian Revolution pushed his father Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, out of power.
The exiled dissident has been trying to get Trump to send the U.S. military to Iran. He posted a message to the president on Saturday ahead of his most recent Fox News spot.
“Your threat to this criminal regime has also kept the regime’s thugs at bay,” Pahlavi shared on X. “But time is of the essence. The people will be on the streets again in an hour. I am asking you to help. You have proven and I know you are a man of peace and a man of your word. Please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.”
Trump has been amenable to the idea of sending forces to Iran, having suggested the idea in an early morning Truth Social post on Jan. 2. Despite his campaign promises to put America first, the commander-in-chief has executed and hinted at military intervention in oil-rich countries around the world, including Venezuela.
He posted another message to his social media platform on Saturday saying “the USA stands ready to help” the Iranian people. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also shared an X post saying “the United States supports the brave people of Iran.”
The president has reportedly been presented with an array of options for intervening in Iran. However, the Iranian regime has threatened to retaliate if the U.S. attacks, suggesting that it will attack American and Israeli bases, according to NBC News.
Hundreds of Iranians have died in clashes between the people and the regime. Although he remains a divisive figure, Pahlavi has risen in profile as numerous protesters have called for his return.
