Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s toppled shah, called on the United States to intervene militarily in Iran during an interview Saturday, arguing that action could save lives and hasten the collapse of the clerical government. Pahlavi spoke on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where Iranian officials are barred.

“It’s a matter of time. We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process, and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime’s downfall,” Pahlavi said. He has lived in the United States since before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and represents the monarchist faction of the fragmented Iranian opposition.

The country has seen mass protests since December 28, sparked by economic grievances, which quickly spread nationwide. Iranian authorities have responded with large-scale arrests and intimidation campaigns, detaining thousands in the bloodiest crackdown since 1979. Opposition groups remain divided across ideological lines, and Pahlavi’s movement has a limited organized presence inside Iran.

Pahlavi criticized prolonged nuclear negotiations with Tehran, urging the Trump administration not to delay action. “People are hoping that at some point the decision will be made that there’s no use, there’s no point, we’re not going to get anywhere with negotiations. Therefore, that’s time for the United States to intervene and do what President Trump promised he will do, to have the people’s back,” he said.

On Friday, Trump acknowledged Iran’s difficulty in nuclear talks during a speech to U.S. troops in North Carolina, suggesting that instilling fear in Tehran might be necessary to resolve the standoff peacefully. Two anonymous U.S. officials told Reuters that the military is preparing for the possibility of a sustained, weeks-long operation if ordered to act.

Pahlavi framed intervention as a humanitarian measure, arguing that U.S. support could prevent further loss of life and strengthen the opposition’s efforts to end the current regime.