“The military operation is a humanitarian rescue mission and will save many lives,” Pahlavi said. “Europe’s decision to proscribe the IRGC is welcome but it now needs to go further and support our transition plan to rebuild Iran. Europe has too long sat on the fence. This is the moment of decision. Stand with the Iranian people.”
His comments came after European governments first urged restraint, raising concerns about the risks of war spreading through the region and questioning the legitimacy of the action under international law. France’s President Emmanuel Macron called the escalation of the conflict “dangerous.” France, Germany and the U.K. said the Iranian regime should return to negotiations over its nuclear program.
There were signs that leading European powers were shifting their positions on Sunday to support limited involvement in the conflict in response to growing threats from Iranian retaliation.
On Sunday night, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the U.K. would reverse its earlier position and allow U.S. forces to use its air bases for operations, while the French and German leaders also indicated they stood ready to enable defensive action to destroy Iranian missile sites if necessary, working with the Americans.
In a new statement on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she backed regime change.
Pahlavi thanked the U.S. and Israel for their “leadership” in his statement to POLITICO. “But the final victory will need to be forged by the Iranian people on the ground,” he said. “I have a plan for a stable transition to democracy. We are making our final preparations for the transitional government to lead the country to stability and peace.”