Son of last shah is 'ready' to lead

Exiled Pahlavi calls on Iranians to protest

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Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah and an Iranian opposition figure, and his wife, Yasmine Pahlavi, gesture from a stage at a protest against the Iranian government in Munich, on Saturday.

(REUTERS)

The exiled son of Iran's last shah said he was ready to lead the country to a "secular democratic future" at a rally in Munich on Saturday, after US President Donald Trump said a change of power would be the "best thing".

It came as Washington continued to engage diplomatically with Tehran's government, with Switzerland on Saturday confirming that mediator Oman would host a fresh round of talks in Geneva next week.

US-based Reza Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, told the crowd of around 200,000 people of his supporters that he could lead a transition.

"I am here to guarantee a transition to a secular democratic future," he said.

"I am committed to be the leader of transition for you so we can one day have the final opportunity to decide the fate of our country through a democratic, transparent process to the ballot box."

"Javid shah" [long live the shah],” the crowd chanted as they waved green-white-and-red flags with a lion and a sun — the emblem of the toppled monarchy.