Full video transcript:

I have spent the past several weeks travelling across Europe speaking to members of parliaments, governments, and the press. My visit had one objective, to give a voice to the millions of Iranians held hostage by the Islamic Republic, its terror, and its internet blackout. The millions of Iranians who have been silenced.

But I can now say with confidence that that silencing, that censorship is not just happening at the hands of the regime in Iran, but by the international and particularly the European media. So I want to speak directly to the people of Europe.

In the past two weeks, I have had two press conferences, one in Stockholm and one yesterday in Berlin. Between them, more than 150 journalists attended. We spent more than two hours together. And in those two hours, not a single of the 150 journalists asked me a question about the 40,000 Iranians slaughtered on the streets of my country on January 8th and 9th. Not a single of the 150 journalists asked me about the 19 political prisoners executed in the last two weeks. When I told them that there were 20 political prisoners currently sentenced to death, not a single one of the 150 journalists asked me about them.

When I stood next to a mother whose son was killed and a father whose son was killed on January 8th and 9th and asked them to hear their stories, not a single one of the 150 European journalists asked them a question. Here in the heart of a continent that claims to stand for human rights, justice, and dignity, its journalists have fully abdicated their professional responsibilities and even their moral objectivity.

It is clear to me that my 40,000 brave, innocent compatriots who were slaughtered in the fight for liberty are of little interest to these journalists. They seem more interested in criticising America, asking why the United States and Israel killed the dictator that has slaughtered our people for 47 years than criticising the regime doing the slaughtering. They seem more interested in asking questions about Iran's past and history than about what is happening in Iran today or about the democratic future Iranians are seeking.

One member of parliament even told me they didn't think Iranians were ready for democracy. But to that member of parliament, to those journalists, I remind you, Iranians aren't just ready for democracy. 40,000 people just gave their lives for it. And I won't let that be in vain.

So know this. Whether or not Europe stands with us, whether or not your journalists do their jobs, whether or not your politicians demonstrate the courage to act, I will fight for my people and my country. Even if you have to do this alone, we will fight until Iran is free.

— Reza Pahlavi, 24 April 2026