WANA (Jan 25) – In a global landscape where international law has become a mere mirage and global institutions stand powerless against the unilateralism of powers like the United States, a critical question arises: What happens when a leader’s power is entirely beholden to a foreign patron?

 

Imagine a scenario where the wealth and strategic depth of Iran—a nation that has historically stood as a defiant barrier to U.S. and Israeli hegemony—falls under the control of a figure, like Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s former Shah’s son, tethered to the interests of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

Although this is merely an impossible fantasy, if Reza Pahlavi were to come to power with the support of America and Israel, just like his father and grandfather did with foreign backing, could he resist Trump’s demands?

 

Let’s assume that Reza Pahlavi is the all-powerful figure of Iran today. In that case, Trump, just as he confidently says Greenland must belong to America, could demand the three islands or claim that Iran’s oil resources should be handed over to the United States. What would Reza Pahlavi’s response be?

 

Can we believe that Reza Pahlavi, as someone entirely dependent on U.S. and Israeli policies, would resist Trump and Netanyahu’s expansionist and predatory behaviour?