Arya Amuzgar

When Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi concluded his plenary address at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, he was met with a spirited standing ovation upon his final words: “for our battle is one.” The animated reaction from a non-Iranian audience in support of his message at that very moment made one thing very clear: we are experiencing a paradigm shift in the alliance between the defenders of Western Civilization and the patriots striving to reclaim Iran. 

This speech marks a momentous turning point; by highlighting how the issues currently besieging the West can be traced back to the rise of the Islamic Republic, our struggle is finally able to transcend the bounds of being exclusively Iranian and manifest into a common crusade against “the unholy alliance of the red and the black– radical Marxism and radical Islamism.” The underlying doctrine set forth by the Crown Prince establishes this pure, noble, and patriotic alliance of Iranians alongside American and European conservatives.

The values of Western Civilization have always been kindred to the Iranian spirit, and therefore we have always regarded the traditional Western right-wing as a natural ally. However, for too long we have remained silent for fear of criticism from the radical left. This involuntary political correctness has hindered our ability to advocate against the regime and plays no small role in why after 45 years we have been unable to take our country back. Consequently, it’s also why this address at the conference was so significant. By valiantly using this platform to deliver such a fiery speech, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi crossed the Rubicon and towards the right of the aisle – where he was welcomed quite literally with open arms. As the rightful and legitimate leader of the opposition to the Islamic Republic, this act cements a bond with the political demographic that has the ability and determination to fight alongside us and successfully defeat the Islamist caliphate. 

Moreover, as Iranians, witnessing our leader take such lionhearted actions and speaking with a frankness that resonates with many of our suppressed emotions will lead to a boost in morale that cannot be underestimated. On social media alone, we have observed an exponential rise in sentiment over time leading up. With the “knee” of the exponential curve being the address, we are already seeing the rapid change. 

We can expect the breadth of the Iranian opposition to grow, but more importantly, the depth. Continuing down this path will create a feedback loop of vigor, vibrance, and vitality between the leadership of our movement and our base. The more we see our Crown Prince speak without fear of the backlash that comes from today’s Orwellian scrutiny, the more we see these views trickle down towards policy influencers, the diaspora, and most importantly, our compatriots struggling under the Islamic Republic. Beyond serving as an energizing factor, the embrace and recirculation of these ideas creates further engagement and normalization. Even the occasional pushback – which typically comes from radical perspectives – has a net positive effect in exposing the preposterous narratives our opponents brew in their minds and thus it draws our community together to unify against it. All of this ultimately flows back to the top of our movement, resulting in a greater frequency of such speeches, which reignites the cycle again on a larger scale. In today’s socio-political landscape, we have observed which patriotic resurgences have succeeded and what characteristics they’ve shared in common. Bold, unapologetic, and yet precisely calculated strategies are among the common denominators. Furthermore, these are all spearheaded by a strong, unifying leader who stands on the front lines alongside their fellow warriors. In doing so, we will not be weak and we will prevail. 

Attempting to win over those in the left field who are simply too close to foul ball territory is not only a wild goose chase, but it also risks eroding the core strength of our movement and even potentially losing others. Due to the fundamental ideological differences of the radical left – the marxists and their sympathizers – on virtually every single conceivable issue, in addition to their well-documented predisposition towards inciting trouble, even if we were to hypothetically water-down or even concede a majority of our views in order to rent their support, not only would we fail due to our policies, but because the entire movement would be effectively compromised. Iranians are smart, they are able to recognize something foul quite easily, and the presence of radical Marxists within our ranks would cause many to abandon us – leaving us with no regime change and stuck in the company of communists. As long as we maintain the clear majority, unnaturally expanding more is not ideal.

A softball is larger than a baseball, it’s heavier, and easier to hit – yet a baseball is more dense and can travel much further when hit. Quality over quantity. The list of metaphors is endless. For too long, we have tried to win over those relatively small numbers who cannot be reasoned with; they oppose not only the Crown Prince without reason, but the very fundamental ideals of our movement. Despite claiming to be against Islamism, they embody horseshoe theory as they too despise the concept of the nation-state. These are the same people who cheered as the late Shah’s plane took off from Mehrabad in 1979 and still feel no remorse. Any appeasement we could possibly give them would be received insincerely and eventually backfire. 

Regardless, the Crown Prince has always made it clear that he is seeking a free, secular, and democratic Iran and is willing to work with any party or politician that is receptive to this goal, irregardless of his own political fate. Yet for decades, many far left of the aisle have simply spat in the face of this notion and swatted away our hand. They have been defending the regime for 45 years; the same liberals who claim to have some twisted notion of moral superiority also back the regime who conducts unspeakable acts on their citizens either for personal greed or in the name of “Allah.” Nevertheless, that does not change anything – we are still just as willing to engage with anyone, anywhere in the political spectrum who welcomes a free Iran. In fact, I have faith that many on the left will ultimately have the revelation that freeing Iran is not a debate between the right and the left, but a fight between the right and the wrong. Reagan famously said “the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” I pray that the left to one day join us in this endeavor to save Iran, if not for us then at least to save themselves, and we will always welcome them. 

However, I must make it abundantly clear that while we will always welcome unity, we will not bend our mission in order to appease anyone. Nor can we afford to sit and wait any longer; every step we fail to take on our march towards Iran is a step the Islamic Regime takes over the corpses of murdered Iranians. There comes a time when we must decide that enough is enough, and move forward. Despite the adversity, we have the majority – and the will to be triumphant. Now arrives the hour of action.

This address was a total and complete victory, because it laid the foundation for what I truly believe is a potentially historic turning point – and the beginning of beautiful friendship. But this is only possible if we capitalize on the momentum – only if we push forward and fight. This is not the type of victory we celebrate; we have a long road ahead and even the slightest bit of complacency could result in what little we have slip away. 

Most importantly of all, we cannot bend, break or yield if we truly desire to complete the mission. We can never ever back down. There will no doubt be dissenting voices of the few. They might whine in higher pitches, but that simply means they are scared that we are winning. But we must remain steadfast in this direction, continue to assert our positions, and strengthen our political ties. The reason the Crown Prince’s address was so well received was because everything he said was so true. This is especially the case with Islamism and Marxism plaguing the West, and the counter to that has been a conservative resurgence throughout Europe and the United States. A reawakening of the belief that the nation-state is the true foundation for happiness, harmony, and preservation of heritage. Perhaps then it was destiny that Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi gave this speech there and then, as reclaiming Iran will be yet another national revival alongside the nations of the West.