00:00Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Iranian Shah and one of the main leaders of the opposition to the Tehran
00:06regime,
00:07is in Brussels this week to lobby for more sanctions and economic pressure on Iran.
00:12Yesterday, he met several members of the European Parliament.
00:15At a press conference, he called on the EU to show the same resolve as it has toward Russian President
00:21Vladimir Putin
00:22by uncovering hidden assets and freezing illegal assets linked to the regime.
00:28Afterwards, he spoke to Euronews' Vincenzo Genovese, who asked him about the changes in Washington.
00:34Take a listen.
00:36There are many Democrats in America who also believe that the Iranian regime is a major problem.
00:41It threatens national security for the U.S. and their interests, but also look at the region and the consequences
00:47of this regime.
00:48Continue a policy of blackmail by taking hostages or disturbing maritime traffic through its proxies
00:54and helping the Houthis in the conflict that exists right now in the other straits.
00:58So, ultimately, whether or not the conclusion is that the job needs to be finished
01:02may be a question that they all have to explore irrespective of the composition now of the House and the
01:08Senate back in the U.S.
01:09So, my ask from the EU countries is irrespective of your own political compositions,
01:16the cause of liberty and the cause of freedom in Iran and what will lead to ultimate stability as opposed
01:22to instability
01:23depends ultimately on Iranians being able to free themselves from this regime.
01:27And that should be their main policy focus, but also what can concretely be done to actually be an element
01:33that adds more pressure on the regime, that could be extending economic sanctions,
01:37but parallel to that also have more direct support for the Iranian people,
01:42which we believe in that momentum will cause even more defections from the regime,
01:46and that's what will lead ultimately to the regime's collapse and the liberalization of Iran.
01:51But the strikes against the regime caused the response of the regime,
01:55the closing of the Strait of Ormuz, which sparked a spike in the energy price,
02:00which is one of the main warning for Europeans.
02:03What's your message to Europeans about that?
02:05The message is that when the animal is wounded and will seek revenge,
02:10do allow it to continue to live.
02:12And that's exactly what's at stake here.
02:14This regime has shown that it's willing to go all the way for its own survival,
02:19not just by silencing its own citizenry, but by now not only threatening maritime traffic,
02:26but attacking with missile attacks countries in the area and perhaps even take action beyond that.
02:31You simply cannot allow this kind of terrorist regime continue to survive and exist.
02:37And you know the most important factor in this are the people of Iran themselves,
02:40who have risked their lives and are willing to die for the cause of freedom.
02:44Why not for once, after 47 years, abandon the idea of appeasement and negotiations,
02:49thinking that that will offer you a guarantee of stability and bet on the Iranian people
02:54as the element that will bring in the element of stability,
02:58because we are committed to the same values of liberty and freedom as you are and enjoying it here in
03:02Europe.
03:03This regime doesn't.
03:04This regime executes everybody that stands for human rights and freedom in Iran.
03:08Europe has a tradition of standing with democracy and freedom.
03:11Why not today recognize that this regime will never be a reliable partner?
03:16It's only trying to buy time, take advantage of weakness in leadership and decision making.
03:22Whereas people every day are risking life and limb to say, we are your solution.
03:26Why don't you come to our help?
03:28Because we are going to fight the fight.
03:30Help us get to a point that we can securely come back to the streets and reclaim our country.
03:34This is the specific elements that will make a difference in how soon Iran can be liberated,
03:39as opposed to drag the conflict even further.
