TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — No pursuit of nuclear weapons. Confronting drug trafficking. An immediate recognition of the state of Israel. Exporting copious amounts of oil and gas.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi laid out his aspirations Thursday for Iran if its theocracy is toppled — and experts say they sound exactly like what U.S. President Donald Trump wants to hear.
That plan likely is aimed at trying to secure support to lead Iran if the nationwide protests succeed in ousting the Islamic Republic. Activists describe a bloody crackdown by security forces that has killed 2,637 people and broadly smothered the demonstrations.
But Trump has yet to fully embrace Pahlavi.
“He’s really struggling to win Trump’s approval, to give the impression he has that strong support, but it doesn’t seem to be working,” said Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, a Washington think tank and author of several books on Iran. Many of his goals also dovetail with the wishes of hard-line Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has forged a close partnership with Trump.