The exiled son of Iran’s last shah, who was ousted by the 1979 revolution, says he is ready to lead a transition “as soon as the Islamic Republic falls”, AFP reports.

In a message on his social media channels, US-based Reza Pahlavi says he has already been working to select individuals both inside and outside Iran to serve in what he called a “transitional system”.

Pahlavi said that Saeed Ghasseminejad, senior Iran and financial economics advisor at the US-based think tank Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD), which is staunchly critical of the Islamic republic, had been leading the process to select members of a transitional body.

“Capable individuals both inside and outside the country have been identified and evaluated to lead various sections of the transitional System,” he said.

“The transitional system, under my leadership, will be ready to assume governance of the country as soon as the Islamic Republic falls, and in the shortest possible time, establish order, security, freedom, and the conditions for Iran’s prosperity and flourishing.”