Reza Pahlavi’s supporters in Iran are turning against him

Two weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, a growing number of Iranians who saw Reza Pahlavi as an alternative to the ruling establishment say they are losing faith in the exiled opposition figure.

For some, the turning point came before the war broke out, when Pahlavi urged Iranians to rise up against their rulers despite the dangers of a ferocious crackdown.

For others, it is his latest call for demonstrations during the traditional Persian festival of Chaharshanbe Suri, set to be held on Tuesday.

Dina, a 39-year-old resident of Tehran, said she once believed the son of Iran’s last monarch might be able to unite the country’s fragmented opposition. Now she no longer feels that way.

“I wish he had even a fraction of his father’s political judgment,” she said.

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