In a candid interview with Simay-e Azadi, a satellite channel affiliated with the Iranian opposition, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Lincoln Bloomfield Jr. declared that the Iranian regime under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reached “the end of the line.” The remarks, conducted on the sidelines of the recent “Iran: Prospect for Change” conference in Berlin earlier this month, come amid escalating nationwide protests in Iran that began in late December 2025 and intensified through January 2026, marked by widespread demonstrations and reported regime crackdowns.
Amb. Bloomfield, who served in senior roles during the George W. Bush administration and has long engaged with Iranian exile communities, described the current unrest as far more than isolated protests: “For me, it’s completely clear that the world is waking up to the fact that in Iran, it’s not just an uprising—it’s a revolution underway.” He noted that the movement has encompassed all provinces, building on years of persistent demonstrations against the clerical regime’s brutality.
The former diplomat highlighted the regime’s history of severe repression, including what he termed genocide starting in 1981 and the 1988 massacre of up to 30,000 political prisoners—many of them young, educated individuals who supported political rights, gender equality, and the separation of religion from state. “These were good Muslims who believed in those values, and that’s something neither Khomeini nor his successor Khamenei could accept,” Bloomfield stated. He emphasized that the regime has waged war against dissenters for 47 years, leaving the population deeply disillusioned.
Ambassador @LBJunior slams Reza Pahlavi and Iranian monarchists for treacherous strategies and their rooting for engagement with the #IRGCterrorists on "The Untold Story" podcast.#FreeIran2024 pic.twitter.com/HOe3ZTaARM
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 22, 2024
Economically, Amb. Bloomfield accused the leadership of gross mismanagement, pointing out that revenues from oil and gas are diverted to ballistic missiles, drones, nuclear enrichment, and proxy militias across the Middle East rather than addressing domestic needs. “The economy is horrific because the clerical regime doesn’t care about the country, the people, or the economy,” he said, adding that this waste has fueled global opposition to Tehran’s policies.
Amb. Bloomfield praised the courage of Iran’s grassroots resistance, particularly the Resistance Units associated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the broader National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). He noted increasing international recognition, including solidarity from Iranians abroad—as evidenced by large demonstrations in Berlin—and a growing alignment among Western leaders with the organized resistance. “This is a very powerful message that change is coming soon,” he asserted. “The regime looks very weak, and we need to be ready to help the Iranian people organize and ultimately have the chance to govern themselves under a new constitution.”
A significant portion of the interview focused on rejecting calls for a restoration of monarchy. Amb. Bloomfield sharply criticized Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s ousted shah, who left Iran at age 17 and has lived primarily in the United States. “I know that Reza Pahlavi left Iran at 17 years old. His whole life, as he said himself in 2017, has been in America. He actually asked: ‘What am I going to do in Iran? I don’t know anyone,'” Bloomfield recounted. He described Pahlavi as lacking any track record in organizing against the regime and presenting confusing positions on his vision.
Watch this video on YouTube
“To me, he looks like someone who wants to live in a nice villa with state funding, have a fleet of cars and staff, host dinner parties, and let others worry about governing a country of 90 million people.”
Amb. Bloomfield went further, suggesting that the Tehran regime appears satisfied with Pahlavi’s role, using digital media tools to inflate perceptions of his support. “I don’t take him seriously, and I don’t think the people of Iran take him seriously either.”
Drawing from 15 years of collaboration with the Iranian Resistance, Amb. Bloomfield expressed deep admiration for their resilience amid personal tragedies. He concluded by reaffirming U.S. alignment with the Iranian people’s aspirations: “We stand firmly with the people of Iran and their ideals. We salute their courage in standing up for their rights. This is the legacy of the United States—we overthrew a king once; Iran overthrew a shah; and now they are going to overthrow a mullah.”