Iran Opposition Calls for Regime Change as War with Israel Escalates

As the Israel–Iran conflict intensifies, the battleground has extended beyond missiles and drones to include political rhetoric and psychological warfare. Prominent Iranian dissidents, exiled royals, and armed opposition groups are seizing the moment to challenge the Islamic Republic’s authority.

Exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi Calls for Uprising

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of the deposed Pahlavi dynasty, took to social media and global news platforms to issue a rallying cry to Iranian dissidents and Western governments. Pahlavi urged action against what he described as a failing regime that has dragged Iran into a “disastrous war.”

“The regime in Iran is weak and has led the country into a catastrophic conflict. Now is the time to resist it,” he stated.

Pahlavi, who has long advocated for democratic reform, is leveraging the conflict’s momentum to renew calls for regime change in Iran.

Iranian Kurdish Militant Group Joins the Chorus

Simultaneously, the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), an armed Kurdish-Iranian opposition group linked to the Iranian branch of the PKK, publicly backed Israel’s military operations against Iran.

The group urged Kurdish populations in western Iran to ignite a popular uprising, aiming to exploit the current instability to weaken the Islamic Republic’s grip.

PAK declared its willingness to collaborate with Israeli intelligence to conduct operations against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Kurdish-majority areas.

PAK Advocates for a Secular, Liberal Future

In a statement circulated online, PAK described the air campaign against Iran as an opportunity to dismantle long-standing ideologies tied to centralized power, Iranian nationalism, and patriarchy.

The group called on Iranians to lay the foundation for a “Free, Democratic, and Liberal Republic,” branding the unrest as a “National Revolution.”