Will Iran’s Military Defect? Former Pilots and Royal Heir Call for Rebellion Against Regime
Amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, voices of opposition within and outside the Islamic Republic are calling on the Iranian military to abandon the regime and side with the people. Former air force pilots from the Shah’s era and exiled royal figures are urging a nationwide uprising to end decades of authoritarian rule.
As tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, new cracks are emerging within the Iranian establishment. A bold appeal has been issued by the Association of Former Air Force Pilots who served under the last Shah of Iran, urging current Iranian military personnel to defect from the Islamic Republic's armed forces and align themselves with the Iranian people. This rare and symbolic call comes as voices for rebellion grow louder following Israel’s expanded military campaign deep into Iranian territory.
In a video circulating widely on social media, retired Colonel Mostafa Babayan, an Iranian fighter pilot who served under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, delivers a direct and emotional plea to Iran’s army. Speaking with resolute conviction, Babayan called on soldiers to "stop cooperating with the terrorist Islamic Republic and join the people." Notably, the message is specifically aimed at the Iranian army, not the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), which is considered more ideologically loyal to the regime.
The message, met with praise across Arabic-language networks and Iranian diaspora communities, is seen by some as the beginning of a potential civil resistance movement. One social media user wrote, “It gives me hope to see that there are still men from that noble generation willing to shoulder the burden of saving their country.”
Adding to the momentum, Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, has also spoken out forcefully in recent days. In a video message posted online amid Israeli airstrikes, he called on Iranians to initiate a national rebellion: "All that is needed now is a nationwide uprising to end this nightmare once and for all." He emphasized that fears of post-regime chaos were unfounded, assuring citizens that a roadmap exists for the first 100 days after the Islamic Republic’s fall.
"Do not fear the day after the collapse of the Islamic Republic. Iran will not descend into civil war or instability," Pahlavi declared. "We have a plan for Iran’s future and prosperity. We are ready for the transitional period and for the establishment of a democratic national government, by the Iranian people and for the Iranian people."
The mounting internal and external pressure on the regime reflects a growing sense that the Islamic Republic is vulnerable not only to foreign attack but to domestic upheaval. Whether these calls for rebellion will be met with mass support remains to be seen, but they clearly represent a significant psychological blow to Tehran’s leadership.