Speaking in an interview, Pahlavi said decades of engagement with Iranians inside and outside the country had convinced him there was broad consensus in favor of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, News.Az reports.
“What we are witnessing is not so much the fact that most Iranians as secular democrats want to have a democratic future. That’s a given,” Pahlavi said.
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He said the more difficult task would come after any change in government.
“I think what will take some time… is to bring about a democratic culture,” he said, adding that democratic institutions and political norms cannot be established overnight even if there is widespread public support for reform.
Pahlavi said he believes many Iranians already agree on the fundamental principles that should underpin the country’s future political system, including the rule of law, respect for human rights and democratic governance.
“I very much doubt that the majority of Iranians do not believe that there has to be rule of law, there has to be protection of… human rights,” he said.
The opposition figure also claimed that dissatisfaction with the Islamic Republic extends into parts of Iran’s security establishment, saying he has received private messages over the years from individuals identifying themselves as members of the Basij militia, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular military.
“Right after the Green Movement and closer to the timeline where the Woman, Life, Freedom movement kicked in, I began receiving some DMs… by elements that say, ‘I’m a Basiji in Mashhad’ or ‘I’m a member of IRGC’… We hate this regime. We’re not with them,” Pahlavi said.
He clarified that these exchanges were with individual members rather than senior commanders.
“It’s not like, in fact, talking to the IRGC command. Not at all,” he said, describing the messages as evidence that some members of Iran’s security apparatus were looking for opportunities to distance themselves from the government.
Pahlavi reiterated his longstanding support for designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization, arguing that the force has played a central role in maintaining the current political system and suppressing dissent.
“For at least the last 10 years, I’ve been one of the first advocates of proscribing the IRGC as a terrorist organization,” he said, describing the organization as “the key element that holds this regime in place.”
Despite his criticism of the Iranian leadership, Pahlavi said he distinguishes between the country’s ruling establishment and individuals within state institutions who may ultimately support political change.
He argued that a successful democratic transition would require broad national reconciliation while remaining firmly committed to accountability, pluralism and the rule of law. According to Pahlavi, the opportunity for change depends not only on political developments but also on fostering a democratic culture capable of sustaining a post-Islamic Republic Iran.
