During his visit to Paris on March 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran in exile. The head of state reported that during the negotiations, they thoroughly examined the current situation both in Iran and throughout the region, as well as discussed the American operation against the terrorist regime.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Discussion on the Future of Iran and International Pressure
According to Zelensky, Prince Pahlavi and his team informed him about the signals coming from within the country. In particular, it was noted that the power structure in Tehran has already suffered significant losses. Zelensky emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Iranian regime does not gain any advantages and that the citizens of Iran have more opportunities to protect their lives and determine their own fate. The meeting also addressed how international pressure and united efforts can contribute to positive changes in Iran.
“We thoroughly discussed the situation in Iran and the region, as well as the American operation against the terrorist regime. The prince and his team informed me about the signals they are receiving from within the country. The power structure has indeed already suffered significant losses, and it is crucial that the Iranian regime gains nothing from this and that the people in Iran receive more protection for their lives and opportunities to determine their own fate. We discussed how international pressure and joint efforts can help with this,” Zelensky noted.
Support for Ukraine and the Role of Reza Pahlavi
The Ukrainian president emphasized that Ukraine wishes to see Iran as a free country that will not cooperate with Russia and will not destabilize the Middle East, Europe, or the entire world. Zelensky expressed gratitude to Prince Pahlavi for his clear assurances of support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, noting that the teams from both sides will continue to stay in touch.
Zelensky and Pahlavi had previously met, including at the Munich Security Conference on February 13 of this year. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah who was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution of 1979, currently leads the opposition faction in exile in the United States. He is trying to position himself as a potential transitional leader of Iran in the event of a regime change.
It is known that on February 28, a joint operation by the United States and Israel against Iran began, resulting in the death of the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking officials of the Iranian regime. In response, the Iranian military carried out missile and drone attacks not only against Israel or American military facilities in the region but also against other neighboring states that Tehran considers allies of the United States.