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The Phantom Army Infrastructure
How Hollow Claims of Leadership Serve the Clerical Regime
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed dictator (Mohammad Reza Shah), attempted once again during his recent conference to co-opt the people's struggle and position himself as the leader of the revolution. In this speech, he claimed that the Iranian people have asked him to take the helm of this revolution; a laughable, baseless, and opportunistic claim repeatedly raised by him and his backers without offering a shred of evidence. It is likely supported only by a cyber army, fake followers, and deepfake videos calling for the Pahlavis' return, the falsity of which has been proven time and again. Consider the following example:
The False Claim of Influence within the Armed Forces
Continuing his unsubstantiated claims to boost his political profile, Reza Pahlavi read a text aimed at aggrandizing his status. While possessing no popular base inside Iran, he boastfully announced a strategic shift from "political pressure" to an "operational threat." He identified the core of this phase shift as the existence of a vast network of disgruntled IRGC and Intelligence Ministry agents inside the country ready for action, stating:
"We are in direct contact with tens of thousands of personnel from the security forces, the army, and even the IRGC. They have reached out to me and my team through various channels, and their message is clear: 'We are ready.'"
By reiterating that he is in contact with tens of thousands of the regime's security and intelligence forces who have expressed their allegiance to him, Reza Pahlavi is acknowledging his ties to criminals who, in recent weeks, massacred protesters and rebellious youth who had taken to the streets to demand their rights, and are still doing so. These forces shot them in the face and head at close range, killing or blinding thousands.
The truth is, he has no shame, and doesn't see a problem with what he is saying. He doesn't seem to feel any guilt about the massive violence happening right now. There is a huge gap filled with blood between the people and this heavily armed regime that only stays in power by constantly killing and silencing everyone. Pahlavi added proof of his claim:
"The reality is that this is not just an analysis... They tell us they are waiting for a coordinated signal and a suitable opportunity for a final defection. They say they do not want to open fire to their own people and consider themselves hostages of corrupt commanders. These tens of thousands who have contacted us show that the defection has occurred in their hearts and minds and they are just waiting for the right moment to practically join the people. Our message to them guarantees their safety and future status, provided their hands are not stained with blood."
Reza Pahlavi's statements, as ridiculous and false as they are, provoke the rage of all Iranians. During these very days, they are witnessing the slaughter of groups of young people, lives cut short by the very entities who are supposedly "waiting for the right moment to practically join the people." Yet, despite the mass killing of over 3,000 people in the first two weeks of the uprising, these forces have seemingly not yet seen "this moment" or as Pahlavi is proposing are still awaiting "royal orders" to join the people!
The Reality on the Ground: The People's Historical "No" to Any Dictatorship
Contrary to these hollow claims, the reality of Iranian society is quite different:
The People's Historical Verdict: The Iranian people closed the file on the Pahlavi monarchy forever by offering thousands of martyrs during the 1979 anti-monarchic revolution and are unwilling to return to the dark past of dictatorship. Over 40% of Iran's 90-million-strong population consists of ethnic minorities—Kurds, Turks, Lurs, Arabs, Baluchis, and others—who have not forgotten the massacres committed by Reza Pahlavi's father and grandfather and feel no affinity toward this self-proclaimed King.
The Red Line (2022 Uprising and Present): During the 2022 uprising and specially the current protests, people have drawn their red line against any form of tyranny, whether the current religious dictatorship or the previous hereditary one, in hundreds of clips and street demonstrations with the strategic slogan: "Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader."
Conclusion: Serving the Regime's Survival
Reza Pahlavi's actions and the attempt to project him as an alternative or leader of the uprising are, in practice, the greatest gift to the clerical regime. These maneuvers serve only one function: to sow division within the united ranks of the protesters and to divert the revolution's energy in favor of prolonging the religious dictatorship by mongering fear of a return to monarchical tyranny.