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The Jerusalem Post·September 20, 2026
Reza Pahlavi says Iran regime defections mark new stage in fight for change
Latest claim
In the latest coverage, Pahlavi said officials and members of the security establishment were quietly breaking with the Islamic Republic. He portrayed that as evidence that the opposition has entered a more advanced stage.
Why it matters
This matters because any credible path for him to lead would likely require defections from inside the state, not only support from the diaspora or foreign audiences. His argument is essentially that the system is cracking from within.
What next
Even if defections are occurring, the reporting does not show that Pahlavi has achieved broad, organized control over events in Iran. The next test is whether his messaging can turn isolated fractures into an actual transition coalition.