GRAPEVINE, TEXAS — The exiled Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, issued a passionate plea to President Donald Trump on Saturday, March 28, 2026, urging him to abandon current diplomatic efforts and instead press for the complete dismantling of the Iranian regime. Speaking to a raucous, standing-ovation crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Pahlavi warned that any deal struck with the current leadership would be a “temporary mask” for a “jihadist” agenda.
His remarks coincide with the one-month anniversary of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war and come just as high-level negotiations—the so-called “Islamabad Channel”—are set to begin in Pakistan.
“You Cannot Reform a Snake”
Pahlavi’s speech was a direct critique of the Trump administration’s “15-point proposal” and the recent flurry of diplomatic signals coming from the White House.
- The Negotiation Trap: “The only thing that the remnants of this regime can be relied on to do is to buy time, to cheat and to steal,” Pahlavi told the audience. “It will buy time, it will pretend to negotiate, and then it will return to its old jihadist ways of threatening America, its security and its interests.”
- “Javid Shah” Chants: The 65-year-old son of the late Shah was greeted by hundreds of Iranian-Americans waving the “Lion and Sun” flag, many chanting “Javid Shah” (Long Live the King) and “Thank you, Trump!”
- The “Make Iran Great Again” Vision: Echoing the President’s slogan, Pahlavi declared: “President Trump is making America great again. I intend to make Iran great again.”
A Vision for Transition
For the first time since the war began on February 28, Pahlavi explicitly positioned himself as the leader of a potential transitional government.
- “God Bless America”: Pahlavi drew his loudest applause by asking the audience to “imagine Iran going from ‘Death to America’ to ‘God Bless America.'”
- Call to Action: He vowed to call on Iranians to “rise up” when the right moment arrives, suggesting that the current military pressure is a historic opportunity to topple the clerical leadership.
- The “Snake” Analogy: Referring to the current government under Mojtaba Khamenei, Pahlavi remarked that “you cannot reform a snake,” adding that “the venom is in its DNA.”
Trump’s Skepticism and the “Islamabad” Context
Despite Pahlavi’s enthusiastic reception at CPAC, his path to power remains clouded by the President’s own shifting strategy.
- The “Inside” Preference: Earlier this month, President Trump expressed skepticism about Pahlavi, noting that while he is a “very nice person,” he has lived in exile for nearly 50 years. Trump suggested that a leader “from within” Iran—potentially a pragmatic figure like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—might be a more appropriate successor.
- The Diplomatic Split: Pahlavi’s call for “total removal” sits at odds with the Trump administration’s current efforts to secure a deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz and enforces nuclear restrictions without necessarily demanding a full regime change.
The “Epic Fury” Ledger (One Month In)
| Date | Milestone |
| Feb 28 | Operation Epic Fury begins; Ali Khamenei killed in first wave. |
| March 15 | Pahlavi invites professionals to join a Transitional Government. |
| March 28 | Pahlavi addresses CPAC; Warns against any “peace deal.” |
| April 6 | U.S. Ultimatum Deadline for the 15-point proposal. |
What’s Next?
Pahlavi’s intervention serves as a powerful reminder of the internal divisions within the Iranian opposition and the American right. As foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Türkiye meet in Islamabad today, they face a choice: pursue a deal with the existing regime that buys stability, or follow Pahlavi’s “clean break” strategy, which risks a longer, more unpredictable ground conflict.
