Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said the contradictory U.S. and Israeli messaging over what Iranians should do has harmed the opposition and discouraged defections.
Speaking with Dasha Burns at the 2026 Politico Security Summit, Pahlavi criticized President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for dueling messaging regarding whether Iranians should rise up against the government. The failure to formulate a coherent message has discouraged defections and demoralized the opposition, he argued.
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“You cannot send mixed signals, on the one hand, say, ‘People need to rise,’ and at the same time, say, ‘Wait, you are negotiating,’” Pahlavi said. “It’s confusing the hell out of everyone.”
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When asked if Trump’s prior rhetoric threatening attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and wiping out Iranian civilization if a deal was not reached was appropriate, Pahlavi responded that it was
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