Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former shah, addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Grapevine, Texas, on Saturday, calling on US President Donald Trump to reject any deal with Iran and instead pursue regime change. Declaring his intention to “make Iran great again,” Pahlavi received a standing ovation from the audience, some of whom chanted “Long live the king.” His remarks coincided with the one-month anniversary of the US and Israel’s joint war against Iran, which has killed at least 1,937 people and injured tens of thousands.

Pahlavi has become a prominent opposition figure among the Iranian diaspora, whose supporters often display his image and the pre-revolutionary flag at global protests. While some exiles have voiced concern over the war’s toll on civilians, Pahlavi has aligned himself with Trump’s most hawkish allies, insisting that “this regime in its entirety must go.” Analysts, however, caution that Iran’s government is unlikely to collapse and may emerge more hardened.

Within the US, the war has exposed divisions among conservatives. Polls show strong Republican support for the conflict, while overall US voters largely oppose it. Some right-wing commentators and younger activists have criticized the war as a betrayal of Trump’s earlier promises to avoid foreign entanglements.