Iran opposition leader says uprising ‘wouldn’t exist’ without Trump pressure,

WASHINGTON — Iran’s exiled crown prince and opposition leader Reza Pahlavi said the current wave of nationwide protests rocking the Islamic Republic would not be happening without President Trump — and insists regime change now is closer than ever.

“President Trump’s words of support for the Iranian people have mattered,” Pahlavi exclusively told The Post. “They have given courage to Iranians who are risking their lives for freedom. This moment would not exist without the pressure that has been placed on the Islamic Republic.”

As protesters chant against the ayatollahs in cities, towns and villages across Iran, Pahlavi said the contrast between the regime and the people could not be clearer.

“The ayatollahs chant ‘Death to America.’ The Iranian people feel very differently,” he said. “They want a free country that is at peace with the world — including with the United States and Israel.”

Pahlavi, whose father Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was Shah of Iran until the Islamic Revolution ousted him in 1979, accused the regime of slaughtering civilians to cling to power, saying “hundreds, maybe thousands” of unarmed Iranians have been killed in recent days.

While welcoming US action to defend civilians and disrupt the regime’s machinery of repression, he drew a firm line: “We do not need foreign boots on the ground.”

The protests have been fueled by grinding economic misery — a crisis Pahlavi said is entirely man-made.

“The suffering of my compatriots is not an accident. It is the result of a system that has taken the wealth of Iran and used it to fund repression, regional wars and nuclear ambitions instead of putting it in the pockets of Iranian families,” he said. “A country with Iran’s resources should not have people who cannot afford bread or medicine.”

If the regime collapses, Pahlavi said he envisions a “prosperous” Tehran that unlocks its “true potential” — re-entering the world stage, offering foreign investment opportunities and taking care of its people.

“A free Iran can be a prosperous Iran: a country that trades with the world, attracts investment, creates jobs, and allows its young people to build a future at home instead of fleeing abroad,” he said. “For years, I have brought together economists, technocrats, legal experts and former public servants inside and outside Iran who are ready to implement this plan immediately.”

“This is how we move from poverty and repression to prosperity and dignity,” he added.

Pahlavi said he already has a plan to secure the country over the first 180 days as it transitions from the radical Islamist theocracy to a thriving democracy.

Under his “Iran Prosperity Project,” he outlined a phased transition beginning with an emergency period to keep services and security running, followed by stabilization to restore confidence and basic governance, and then a constitutional process and national elections.

“We’ve been preparing openly and transparently to avoid chaos,” he said, noting the project includes more than 100 experts ready to act immediately, alongside global business leaders. “Our goal is not just to survive the transition. It is to unlock Iran’s true potential.”

Pahlavi called the current nationwide demonstrations “unprecedented,” saying millions took to the streets despite bullets, arrests and communications blackouts.

“They have shown — in their millions — they want change,” he said. “When millions of Iranians mobilize, it sends a message not just to the regime, but to the world.”

The regime’s internet and phone shutdowns, he warned, are aimed at enabling mass killings in the dark.

“They’re trying to push the country into darkness so they can massacre innocent Iranians without witnesses,” he said, urging the free world to keep Iranians connected and their voices heard.

Pahlavi also revealed growing cracks inside the regime’s own ranks. Through secure channels set up for security forces and officials willing to defect, he said “tens of thousands” have already reached out.

“Now is the moment for those in uniform to step back from repression,” he said, “and stand with the people of Iran.”

As the unrest spreads and global attention intensifies, Pahlavi said the choice is stark.

“The eyes of the world are now upon Iran,” he said.