Son of Iran's Shah Urges 'Crusade' Against Tehran, Calls Europe to Join
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The son of Iran’s leader before the era of the Islamic Republic, Reza Pahlavi, has called on European nations to join the United States (US) and Israel in attacking Tehran. He even urged a ‘Crusade’ against the current Iranian government.
Reza Pahlavi (65) is the son of Iran’s last Shah, who now lives in exile in the United States. His appeal emerged in a prank call conducted by Russian comedians Vovan and Lexus, who pretended to be German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“Europe must join in the crusade against the regime (Iran),” he said in a recording that went viral on social media X, also published on RT, on Friday (6/3/2026).
He also called on the Iranian people to topple the government. He argued that the current moment is right to topple the administration that toppled his father in the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
He stated his readiness to return to Iran to lead a transitional government. He asserted that the authorities currently in power in Tehran lack legitimacy.
Nevertheless, Europe’s stance is split. Britain and Spain had initially refused to grant access to their military bases to US forces involved in strikes on Iran.
But London later changed its stance after pressure from US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Madrid also announced it would send warships to Cyprus to protect the United Kingdom’s air bases from potential Iranian attacks, alongside Italy, France, and the Netherlands.
Earlier, a large-scale strike by the US and Israeli militaries against Iran was reported to have killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, several senior military commanders, and hundreds of civilians. In response, Tehran launched waves of drone and missile attacks on Israel and targeted US military facilities across the Middle East.
The escalation of this conflict heightened global concerns that the war could widen and involve more countries in the region and international powers. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz also pushed up energy prices, oil and gas moving through those waters.