Paris, France – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has met with exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi in Paris, where both sides discussed the political situation in Iran and broader regional developments.
Okay News reports that Zelenskyy said the meeting focused on the current conditions inside Iran, the regional security landscape, and what he described as a United States operation targeting the Iranian regime.
According to the Ukrainian president, Pahlavi and his team shared updates about developments inside Iran, including claims that the leadership structure of the country’s ruling system had suffered significant setbacks.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine supports the emergence of a free Iran that would not cooperate with Russia or contribute to instability in the Middle East, Europe, and other parts of the world.
He also expressed appreciation for Pahlavi’s assurance that he supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that both sides agreed to maintain communication through their respective teams.
However, the meeting has drawn criticism from Iranian democracy advocates and political observers who argue that engaging the exiled prince risks undermining the credibility of pro-democracy movements inside Iran.
Critics argue that Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former monarch, has little meaningful support within the country and has played no significant role in the popular uprisings led by Iranian citizens in recent years.
They contend that such high-level meetings may inadvertently legitimise a figure associated with the country’s former authoritarian monarchy, which many Iranians reject as part of their demand for democratic governance and popular sovereignty.
Analysts also warn that engagement with monarchist figures could complicate international perceptions of the Iranian opposition, as many activists inside Iran advocate for a democratic political system rather than any return to monarchical rule.
