A Norooz Message to the World: Imagine a New Iran

Mar 20, 2025 | My dear friends around the world,

Today, as Iranians celebrate Norooz—the ancient Iranian New Year—we reflect on renewal, hope, and the promise of a brighter future. Norooz means “new day,” symbolizing our people's timeless quest for freedom, peace, and prosperity.

For the past forty-six years, unable to celebrate Norooz in my homeland, I have marked this occasion by addressing my compatriots in Iran. Today however, given the historic opportunity ahead of not just Iran but of humanity, I am taking this opportunity to speak to all of you across the world for the first time on this special day to ask you to imagine an even greater renewal: a world without the Islamic Republic.

Imagine the Middle East liberated from the shadow of nuclear blackmail and threats. Imagine our region without endless proxy wars, extremist ideologies, and terrorism—all driven by a regime whose policies have caused mass migration, instability, and suffering far beyond Iran’s borders. Imagine a Western world free from hostage-taking and Western troops and taxpayers free of the burden of endless wars in far off lands.

Envision instead a free Iran—a nation contributing positively to regional stability, global security, and economic growth. Imagine international commerce flourishing securely through the Persian Gulf, with open trade routes benefiting every nation. Think of a Middle East where Iranian culture, innovation, and enterprise enrich and stabilize the region, rather than destabilize it.

For decades, the Islamic Republic under Ali Khamenei has falsely claimed to represent Iran and its ancient people. It holds no legitimacy, no mandate, and no rightful place in our history. Iranians overwhelmingly reject this regime and its dark vision. But there is another Iran.

As a servant of the Iranian people, I am stepping forward to lead this historic change. I have a clear and actionable plan. Achieving it will be challenging—but my resolve is unwavering, and my confidence in the courage of my compatriots is absolute. Together, we can dismantle the Islamic Republic and end decades of global terror, blackmail, and hostage-taking.

This new reality will profoundly benefit not only Iranians but citizens everywhere—from the cities of America to the capitals of Europe, from Israel to the Arab world. Our success will mean peace, prosperity, and security for countless millions across the globe.

Therefore, on behalf of millions of my compatriots who dream of the promising future they deserve, I extend our hand in friendship and partnership— to our neighbors from Israel and the Arab states, to our steadfast allies in the West, including President Trump and the United States, and to leaders across Europe and the G7.

I extend this hand of friendship in the hope that you will stand with the people of Iran and help us usher in this new day, this new era, in the interest of all of our peoples and nations.

Today, on this Norooz, let us seize this historic opportunity. Let us stand together decisively—not just to support Iranians, but to achieve this bold vision that can forever transform our world for the better.

A free Iran is no longer a distant dream; it is a reality being forged today by the hands of its own people. The question is not whether Iran will be free, but which nations will be with us in the fight and make our victory sweeter.

May this Norooz mark the true dawn of peace, partnership, and freedom.

Norooz Pirouz!

John Bolton on Trump-Zelenskyy Clash, Iran’s Nuclear Program, and U.S. Maximum Pressure Policy

Mar 1, 2025 | Shortly after the Trump-Zelenskyy Oval Office clash, I spoke with John Bolton, former U.S. National Security Advisor, about its impact on Europe and the world. We also discussed Iran’s nuclear program, the maximum pressure policy, and broader geopolitical implications.

Iran’s Crown Prince: My Country Is on the Brink of a Revolution Like That of 1979

THE TELEGRAPH: Reza Pahlavi believes it’s time the West prepares for the imminent collapse of the Islamic Republic and supports the rising tide of dissent

Reza Pahlavi was seven when he grasped something was different about him.

Riding in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Tehran after his father’s coronation in 1967, he noticed that the crowds were not only cheering his parents’ carriage, “I realised they were cheering me,” he recalls. “That was the moment it clicked, that I’m special, or important. It triggered something in my head.

“There was the people’s enthusiasm, love and affection, but at the same time an expectation of what it means to be a crown prince. [And it made me think] what does it entail in terms of all the dedication, sacrifice, responsibility and limitations that you have to accept because of that elevated expectation?”

The adoration did not last. In 1979, Pahlavi was driven into exile by a popular revolution sparked by his father’s misrule. The uprising ended with the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Yet Pahlavi, 64, still speaks with the self-confidence of one raised to rule. And he now predicts a revolution similar to the one that overthrew his father. » | Roland Oliphant, Senior Foreign Correspondent | Sunday, February 23, 2025

Iranians Chant ‘Death to Khamenei’ on Revolution’s Anniversary

THE TELEGRAPH: Tehran regime at its most vulnerable point since its establishment in 1979

Widespread anti-regime protests erupted across Iran on Sunday night as the Islamic Republic marked its 46th anniversary amid growing anger towards the clerics in power.

Citizens voiced their dissent against the Islamic regime through co-ordinated demonstrations from homes and rooftops in multiple cities, with people openly chanting “death to the dictator”.

The public display of anger towards the Tehran regime comes amid escalating tensions within Iran, marked by increasing economic hardship, international isolation, and growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s policies, particularly regarding personal freedoms and human rights.

Combined, this has left the Iranian government in its weakest position since the revolution of 1979. » | Akhtar Makoii | Monday, February 10, 2025

Farah Diba Pahlavi : La dernière Impératrice

Jun 9, 2024 | Farah Diba Pahlavi: Portrait of the last Empress of Iran

Born in 1938 in Tehran, Farah Diba met the Iranian monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in Paris, while she was an architecture student.

By marrying him, she became the third wife of the last shah, and the first empress in the history of Iran upon her husband's coronation. The young sovereign then became a popular international figure, notably for her charisma and her commitment to numerous social projects, which made her a driving force for modernization for the country. But she also suffers the disapproval aroused by her husband's repressive regime.

In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini took power and established an Islamic Republic. The imperial family flees. After the death of the Shah in 1980, the former empress retired to Paris where destiny continued to rage against her. In 2001, his youngest daughter, Leila, took her own life.

Ten years later, it was the turn of his youngest son, Ali-Reza. Tracing her tumultuous life, the documentary follows Farah Pahlavi in Paris, then on trips to Egypt and Venice. Archive documents, unpublished photographs and private amateur films animate this portrait.

“Farah Diba Pahlavi, the last empress”
Director: Géro Von Boehm
© ARTE - Interscience GmbH - 2018

The Syrian Upheaval Has Iranian Leaders Reeling, Too

THE NEW YORK TIMES: For decades, Iran poured money and military aid into Syria, backing the Assad regime in its ambition to confront Israel. Now many Iranians are openly asking why.

People celebrating the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in front of the citadel in Aleppo, Syria. | Ivor Prickett for The New York Times
In the days since the abrupt and unexpected obliteration of Iran as a dominant presence in Syria, the government has faced a fierce public backlash over the billions of dollars spent and the Iranian blood shed to back the Assad regime.

The criticism has come from unexpected corners, including conservatives, and is flowing freely on television channels and talk shows, and in social media posts and virtual town halls attended by thousands of Iranians. It also appears on the front pages of newspapers every day.

One former lawmaker, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, said in a social media post that Iranians should rejoice at the fall of Iran’s longstanding ally, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. “No one will be able to waste Iran’s dollars for maintaining a spider web any more,” he said.

While opponents of the government have long bristled at the money Iran has sent all over the Middle East, the sentiment now seems to have spread. Even some who fought on their government’s behalf in Syria or lost family members in the civil war there are asking if it was worth it. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Friday, December 13, 2024

Iran's Ayatollahs 'At Risk' as Assad's Ousting Humiliates Tehran | The Story

Dec 11, 2024 | As a new leadership emerges in Syria, disparate groups remain in control of different parts of the country. What action is being taken by the rest of the world, and what does it mean for countries like Iran?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times.

Guest: Mark Urban, Writer and Columnist, The Sunday Times.
Host: Luke Jones.

Iranian Women Could Face Death Penalty for Defying New Morality Laws

THE GUARDIAN: Execution, long jail terms and big fines for ‘promoting’ nudity, unveiling or improper dressing come into force

Women in Iran could face the death sentence or up to 15 years in prison if they defy new compulsory morality laws due to come into effect this week.

New laws promoting the “culture of chastity and hijab” passed by the Iranian authorities earlier this month impose severe penalties for those caught “promoting nudity, indecency, unveiling or improper dressing”, including fines of up to £12,500, flogging and prison sentences ranging from five to 15 years for repeat offenders.

Article 37 of the new law also stipulates that those promoting or propagating indecency, unveiling or “bad dressing” to foreign entities, including international media and civil society organisations, could face a decade in prison and up to £12,500 in fines.

Those whose conduct is considered by the authorities to amount to “corruption on Earth” could be sentenced to death under article 296 of Iran’s Islamic penal code. » | Deepa Parent | Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Oust, topple these barbaric morons! Bring back the Shah post-haste! – © Mark Alexander

Tribute to Princess Fawzia of Egypt, Queen of Iran (1921 - 2013)

Nov 29, 2014 | Fawzia Fuad of Egypt (Persian: شاهدخت فوزیه‎, Turkish: Prenses Fevziye, Arabic: الأميرة فوزية‎) (5 November 1921 – 2 July 2013) was an Egyptian princess who became Empress of Iran as the first wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

She is also known as Fawzia Chirine (or Shirin), having remarried in 1949. Although her royal titles were no longer recognized by the Egyptian government after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, international protocol dictates that former monarchs and members of former ruling royal families still retain titles obtained whilst a member of a reigning monarchy.

She was the oldest member of the deposed Muhammad Ali Dynasty of Albanian descent residing in Egypt. Her nephew, Fuad, who was proclaimed King Fuad II of Egypt and Sudan after the Revolution, resides in Switzerland.

Iran Accused of Trump Assassination Plot - 3 Men Charged | BBC News

Nov 8, 2024 | Three men have been charged by the US Justice Department over an alleged plot by Iran to murder Donald Trump and other American citizens. The US government says the plot was thwarted by the FBI.

One of the accused men hasn't been arrested and is believed to be in Iran.

Prosecutors say the plan dates back to September, before the Presidential election. They allege that an unnamed official in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guards planned to carry out surveillance and kill Mr Trump.

Investigators learned of the plot while interviewing Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national identified by officials as an Iranian government agent, who was deported from the US after being imprisoned on robbery charges. He told investigators that a Revolutionary Guard contact in Iran instructed him to assassinate Mr Trump, according to the criminal complaint.

Two other men who the authorities say were recruited to participate in other assassinations, including a prominent Iranian-American journalist, have been arrested.

Donald Trump has a history of animosity towards Iran and the allegations raise questions about [how] this will affect his policy towards the country in his new Presidency.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Smith and James Landale.

Iranian Student Arrested after Removing Clothes at University | BBC News

Nov 3, 2024 | A female Iranian student has been detained by security guards after she stripped to her underwear in public at a university in Tehran.

A spokesman for the Islamic Azad University said she'd been found to have a "mental disorder". But many social media users in Iran have said her actions were more likely a protest against the country's strict dress code.

Under Iranian law women and girls above the age of puberty must cover their hair with a hijab and wear long, loose-fitting clothing to disguise their figures.

What has happened to the student since being detained is unknown.

Iran Executes German-Iranian Dissident after Years in Captivity

THE GUARDIAN: Berlin warns of ‘serious consequences’ for ‘inhumane regime’ after 69-year-old Jamshid Sharmahd put to death

Iran has executed a 69-year-old German-Iranian political scientist after years in captivity, sparking outrage in Germany and beyond.

Berlin warned of “serious consequences” for Iran’s “inhumane regime” after Jamshid Sharmahd was put to death on Monday, while a Norway-based human rights group labelled the execution the “extrajudicial killing of a hostage”.

Sharmahd, a German citizen of Iranian descent and a US resident, was seized by Iranian authorities in 2020 while travelling through the United Arab Emirates, according to his family.

Iran, which does not recognise dual citizenship, announced his arrest after a “complex operation”, without specifying how, where or when he was seized. » | Agence France-Presse in Berlin | Monday, October 28, 2024

Iran & Saudi Arabia: Neighbours and Rivals | ARTE.tv Documentary

Oct 23, 2024 | On the one hand, Iran, an Islamic republic led by an ayatollah, sworn enemy of Israel and the USA, with a mostly Shiite population. On the other is Saudi Arabia, a hereditary monarchy whose inhabitants are 90% Sunni. This episode focuses on two neighbours whose rivalry shapes the balance of power in the Middle East...

Iran & Saudi Arabia: Neighbours and Rivals | ARTE.tv Documentary

Available until 23/07/2031

Netanyahu Vows to Punish Iran after Hezbollah Drone Hits His House

THE TELEGRAPH: Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to punish Iran after a Hezbollah drone attempted to “assassinate” him and his wife at their weekend residence.

The drone caused little damage to the residence in the coastal city of Cesearea, and both he and his wife were out when it struck, the Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement.

In a statement on Saturday night, Mr Netanyahu said the “attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake”.

“This will not deter me or the State of Israel from continuing our just war against our enemies in order to secure our future.

“I say to Iran and its proxies in its axis of evil: anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price,” he added.

The attack marked the first time a target directly affiliated with the Israeli leader had been hit since the start of the war. » | Harriet Barber | Saturday, October 19, 2024

End This Regime": An Interview with Farah Pahlavi, Empress of Iran

Jul 27, 2024 | Farah Pahlavi, Empress of Iran, is the widow of the late Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Rafael Pinto Borges recently spoke with her about her life, today's Iran, and her hope for the future. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she continued in her deep devotion to charitable work. Today, she divides her time between Paris and Washington, D.C.

Israel Ready to Strike: Ayatollah's Days Numbered

Oct 3, 2024 | “Not only does it create invulnerability, in the eyes of the Ayatollah, who is facing an existential crisis right now, he has no logical successor.”

There is fear amongst the Iranians that Israel could take out the Ayatollah after eliminating their proxies one boy one, says former US ambassador Mark Wallace on World in 10.

Islamic Iran: The Story of an Ascent | Full Documentary in English

Jun 10, 2024 | The publication of a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad was considered insulting in the Muslim world. In Tehran, the police are overwhelmed. Ultra-conservative young people gather in the streets and attack embassies. The beginning of a long Islamic revolution is marked...

Iran's Supreme Leader Defends Strikes on Israel in Rare Public Speech | BBC News

Oct 4, 2024 | ranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has delivered a sermon at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla Mosque in a rare public appearance. In the sermon, he defended Iran's missile attack on Israel earlier this week as a "minimum punishment". The last time Khamenei delivered his Friday prayer was shortly after Iranian General, Qasem Soleimani, died in a US drone attack near Baghdad's airport in 2020 and subsequent Iran's attack on US military bases in Iraq.

Israeli Military Says Iran Has Launched Missiles towards Israel | BBC News

Oct 1, 2024 | Israel's military said missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel "a short while ago", with sirens heard across the country.

It comes after the US warned earlier that a missile strike from Iran could be imminent.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) urged Israelis to "remain alert and precisely follow the home front command's instructions".

Iran Vows Vengeance after Assassination of Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah

THE OBSERVER: Iran’s supreme leader says Israel’s killing of Nasrallah will “not go unavenged”, as fears grow of spiralling conflict

Iran’s supreme leader has warned Israel that its assassination of Hezbollah’s veteran leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, will “not go unavenged”, as fears of a spiralling conflict in the Middle East grow.

As the shockwaves from Friday evening’s airstrike that killed Nasrallah reverberated through the region, and Israel continued to pound targets in Lebanon, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced five days of official mourning on Saturday and called for an urgent meeting of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Iran also called for the UN security council to meet over Israel’s actions in Lebanon and across the region.

Israel’s security forces were also put on high alert for possible retaliation, as experts warned the region was facing several scenarios following the killing, including the risk of a widening war that could draw Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, into a direct conflict with Israel. » | Peter Beaumont in Jerusalem and William Christou in Beirut | Saturday, September 28, 2024