Paris, 14 March (H.S.): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held clandestine discussions in Paris with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince of Iran and prominent opposition figure, focusing on the crumbling Iranian regime and prospects for its downfall.

Zelenskyy revealed the meeting via a late Friday X post, detailing how Pahlavi's team shared intelligence on internal signals indicating severe losses within Tehran's hierarchy. He stressed the urgency of denying the regime any gains while safeguarding Iranian civilians and empowering them to shape their destiny through heightened international pressure and coordinated action.

Zelenskyy underscored Ukraine's desire for a liberated Iran that severs ties with Russia, ceasing to undermine stability across the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. Pahlavi, son of the last Shah ousted in 1979, reaffirmed robust backing for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, with both sides committing to ongoing team-level communications.

The rendezvous gains resonance amid U.S. strikes on Iran's Kharg Island and the demise of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, positioning Pahlavi—who resides in U.S. exile and claims military insider support—as a potential transitional leader advocating democratic elections post-regime collapse.

Zelenskyy's outreach signals Kyiv's strategic pivot to exploit Iran's chaos for broader anti-authoritarian alliances.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar