Image: Al-Sharq

Reza Pahlavi Emerges as Central Figure in Iranian Opposition at CPAC

06 April, 2026.USA.6 sources

Key Takeaways

Reza Pahlavi appeared at CPAC 2026 and drew a loud reception.
He pledged to 'make Iran great again' and urged the U.S. to stay the course.
CPAC coverage framed him as a central figure in the Iranian opposition.

Pahlavi's CPAC Debut

Reza Pahlavi strode onto the American political stage at CPAC with a message of regime change and alliance with Trump.

“Facebook Video Home Live Reels Explore More Home Live Reels Explore 0:00 / 8:10 Persian presence at CPAC 2026 labelled ‘genuinely impressive’ Like Comment Share '/%3E%3Cpath%20d='M16”

@facebookapp

He declared, President Trump is making America great again. I want to make Iran great again.

@facebookapp

His appearance came on the first anniversary of the US-Israeli war that killed nearly 2,000 people in Iran.

Some attendees chanted Long live the king!

Analysts cautioned it was unlikely the Iranian government would fall.

Alignment with Trump

Pahlavi emerged as an outspoken Trump ally, aligned with the administration's most incendiary figure.

He explicitly praised the severing of the head of the regime in reference to the operation that killed Khamenei.

Al-Bayader

His two-year transitional regime followed by democratic elections served as a product tailored for American consumption.

The contradiction between his limited domestic base and broad American acclaim reveals a pragmatic political instrumentalization.

Divisions Within GOP Base

Despite broad support at CPAC, signs of divergence were evident within the GOP base.

“Trump supporters divided over Iran war as mounting pressure to find a way out grows - Author: Anthony Zurcher - Role: North America affairs correspondent - Reporting from: Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) - Reading time: 7 minutes Polls indicate that a majority of Americans oppose the U”