Iranian-Canadian activist Goldie Ghamari backs US–Israel strikes that reportedly killed Ali Khamenei, says Iranians want regime change and predicts a major uprising led by Reza Pahlavi.
As the Middle East conflict intensifies following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Iranian-Canadian activist and former Ontario lawmaker Goldie Ghamari has voiced strong support for the United States and Israel, describing the military campaign as a “long overdue rescue operation” for the Iranian people.
In an exclusive conversation with Asianet Newsable English’s Somya Jaiswal, Ghamari said many Iranians — both inside the country and in the diaspora — view the strikes as a turning point in a decades-long struggle against the Islamic Republic.
The conflict has already triggered regional repercussions, with missile exchanges, strikes across Lebanon, and threats of retaliation from Tehran as the war expands across West Asia.
Also read: Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib Killed In Overnight Strike, Says Israeli Defence Minister
‘First reaction was shock — then gratitude’
Speaking about the strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Ghamari said she initially struggled to process the news.
“So my first reaction upon hearing of the Israeli-American strikes and the extermination of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Dictator of the Islamic regime, first of all, I was in shock, and then I was very grateful,” she said.
“And the reason that I was in shock is because this is something that we Iranians have been asking for, for the last 47 years.”
According to Ghamari, many Iranians feel they have been trapped under an oppressive system since the Islamic Revolution.
“We have been asking for, you know, someone to come and help liberate us, because we Iranians, for the last 47 years, ever since 1979, when the Islamic dictatorship took over, we have been under a brutal Islamic oppression,” she said.
“They have been murdering us. They have been raping us. They have been silencing us.”
“And every single time that we have tried to rise up in the last 47 years, they have murdered us, because we Iranians, we are unarmed. So my reaction upon hearing that the United States and Israel finally intervened, and the first thing they did was exterminate Khamenei, was gratefulness. So thank you so much to Israel and the United States,” Ghamari added.
‘This is not about the US or Israel toppling the regime’
While praising the military intervention, Ghamari stressed that the future of Iran ultimately depends on its own people.
“So the purpose of the operation itself is not to topple the regime, because ultimately it’s not up to the United States or Israel to topple the regime. That’s up to the Iranian people,” she said.
“What the United States and Israel are doing is they are levelling the playing field.”
Ghamari pointed to exiled Iranian royal figure Reza Pahlavi as the person many opposition supporters see as a transitional leader.
“What’s really important to remember is that we Iranians have a leader. His name is Reza Pahlavi. He is the crown prince of Iran, His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi. He’s also the leader of the Iranian National Revolution.”
“Ultimately, the people who will topple the regime will be the Iranians themselves, under the leadership and guidance of His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi.”
Iranian diaspora celebrating strikes
According to Ghamari, Iranian communities abroad have reacted with celebrations.
“Well, they have been very grateful. Iranian Canadians have been out on the streets celebrating,” she said.
“We have gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, also the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, and of course in various cities in Montreal and Vancouver, Calgary, Windsor, elsewhere.”
“All Iranian Canadians are very grateful. They’re holding photos of President Trump. They’re waving American flags. They’re saying thank you, Trump. Thank you, Bibi.”
She added that videos from inside Iran before internet restrictions suggested similar reactions.
“Some of the first few videos that came out were Iranians in occupied Iran singing, dancing, celebrating, saying thank you, Trump, thank you, Bibi.”
Also read: Iran Leadership Crisis: Ali Larijani, Killed With Son, Had Opposed Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise
Message to Iranians inside the country
When asked what message she would send to people currently in Iran during the conflict, Ghamari said the diaspora would continue advocating for them internationally.
“The biggest fear that Iranians in occupied Iran have right now is that the United States and Israel will stop the military strike before the regime is overthrown,” she said.
“So my message, in fact, all of our message as Iranians outside of Iran to Iranians in the country is that do not worry. We Iranians, those of us who are outside, we will be your voice.”
“We will continue to be your voice. We will not stop and we will make sure that everyone knows that we want the United States and Israel to finish the job.”
Iran–Israel ties could return, she says
Ghamari also argued that relations between Iran and Israel could be restored if the current regime collapses.
“In fact, that is one of the reasons why Israel is helping us right now, because this alliance and friendship between Iranians and Israelis goes back thousands of years,” she said.
“Prior to 1979, Iran and Israel were very, very close allies.”
“Forty-seven years of Islamic occupation cannot erase that.”
She even claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently popular among some Iranians.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu is actually more popular in Iran right now than he probably is in Israel.”
Calls for ,Canada, to back regime change
Ghamari also urged Canada to take a stronger position against the Islamic Republic.
“Well, yes, absolutely. I think the government of Canada should absolutely call for regime change,” she said.
“I think the government of Canada should, in fact, recognise His Royal Highness as the leader of Iran’s transitional government.”
She criticised the Canadian leadership under Mark Carney for what she described as hesitation.
“Unfortunately, the current Canadian government, they seem to be more interested in catering to Islamist needs than they are to standing for what’s right.”
‘Iranians will rebuild the country’
Looking beyond the conflict, Ghamari believes many members of the global Iranian diaspora are eager to return and rebuild the country if the regime falls.
“As soon as Iran is free, many of them do actually want to go back and they want to help rebuild the country,” she said.
“We’re actually going to see one of the biggest mass re-immigrations back to Iran from the Iranian diaspora around the world.”
Civilian casualties and the cost of war
Addressing concerns about humanitarian consequences, Ghamari placed responsibility on Iran’s leadership.
“Every single innocent life lost is at the hands of the Islamic Republic because they refuse to surrender,” she said.
“Even though every single innocent life lost is a tragedy, what’s really frightening is that the current amount of innocent civilian lives lost in this conflict is less than a thousand.”
“The biggest murderer of Iranians is the Islamic regime.”
Vision for a post-regime Iran
Ghamari said the goal of opposition supporters is not necessarily to restore monarchy, but to transition toward a democratic system.
“His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi, he’s not coming back as the Shah of Iran. He’s coming back as the transitional leader,” she said.
“We trust him. He is the only person that we Iranians trust to transition Iran from an Islamic dictatorship into a secular democratic society.”
She added that Iran’s political structure would ultimately be decided by voters.
“So whether or not Iranians choose to have a constitutional monarchy like England, for example, or whether Iranians want to have a republic like the United States, that will be up to the Iranian people to decide.”