The following message was posted on Monday, 12 January 2026 at about 0600 Mountain Time. This commentary follows up on yesterday’s. Iran and the people of the nation are in our prayers and we seek ways to encourage them.
Rezi Pahlevi is the “Crown Prince” of the former Imperial House of Iran (or Persia), the son of the overthrown Shah (Emperor) of Iran. His family claims to be the latest in a series of dynasties which we are told have ruled Persia for about 3,000 years, overthrown and replaced by the Iranian Islamic Republic in 1979, 47 years ago.
Do the people of Iran, and others, believe this? Should they? Our own position is clear.
Beloved people of Iran, my courageous compatriots,
Over the past two weeks—especially in the last four days—you have shaken the foundations of the illegitimate Islamic Republic through massive, nationwide demonstrations. Now, relying on your overwhelming response to the recent calls, and with the public mandate I have received from you, I am announcing a new phase of the national uprising to overthrow the Islamic Republic and reclaim our beloved Iran.
1. Inside Iran: In addition to taking and holding the central streets of our cities, all institutions and apparatuses responsible for the regime’s propaganda and for cutting communications are to be regarded as legitimate targets. Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people—and bear the nation’s lasting shame and condemnation.
2. Outside Iran: All Iranian embassies and consulates belong to the Iranian people. The time has come for them to be adorned with Iran’s national flag, in place of the disgraceful banner of the Islamic Republic.
We stand on the threshold of reclaiming our beloved Iran from the Islamic Republic. Khamenei and his regime have already suffered several heavy blows at your hands, and we must not allow them a moment to recover. The regime faces a severe shortage of forces of repression; the increase in gunfire against the people is not a sign of strength, but of fear—fear of collapse and an accelerated downfall. We will not allow these criminals to spill any more of our young people’s blood. We will not give them that chance. We will not retreat.
Iran’s freedom is near. The blood shed by Iran’s immortal sons and daughters guides our path to toward victory. We are not alone. International support will soon arrive. Standby for my next messages. Very soon, we will reclaim our beloved Iran back from the Islamic Republic, and celebrations of freedom and victory will fill every corner of our country.
Sure sounds good, doesn’t he?
We know little or nothing about this guy. We know a little more about his father, who was (or so we understand from various sources) put on the throne twice by American and British efforts. First to replace his father in WW2, and again in 1954 when he replaced what was considered a “democratically-elected” prime minister and parliament who had driven him into exile. It is stated that he became increasing authoritarian and hated by his people, but in particular, through Muslim himself, hated by the Shi’a clerical party who opposed his modernization and his relationship with Israel. This led to the 1979 Revolution in which he was overthrown.
Since then, the Ayatollah’s have headed up a regime which many describe as Islamofascist, and certainly is very hard-core Islamist and a strict enforcement of Sharia law.
Today, many Iranians, at home and abroad, seem to have pinned their hopes on a restoration of the dynasty and on Rezi Pahlevi to establish a constitutional monarchy that supports individual liberty and can restore the economy and society of the nation.
We point out that the Preacher’s (Solomon’s) warning about “Put not your trust in princes” (or human leaders in general) is very applicable to this.
We present a guest commentary that includes a guest commentary, and ask readers their thoughts. Are these events for real in Persia? At least one well-respected geopolitical analyst says it is highly unlikely that the Islamic Republic will fall – that Persia (Iran) is far too stable (going back 3,000 years) for this to be likely. Others claim American and British interference (as seen repeatedly in the last century) is behind all this, and this is just another effort to destroy Iran’s economy and society. But others point out the severe threats to prosperity and stability, together with environmental conditions (notably a once-in-a-thousand year drought) and the worldwide disaspora of Iranian refugees and supporters seeking to take advantage of the situation.
So we present, from Judith Gaga Friel and Goldie Ghamari, this commentary.
Before 1979 — before the occupation by religious nutcase mullahs like 𝗥𝘂𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝗞𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗶 — 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆.
⠀It’s hard for people today to even imagine it, but Iran wasn’t run like a theocracy.
It looked, functioned, and lived like a 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
And if you look at old photos of Iran — or Lebanon, or Afghanistan, or Egypt — you wouldn’t even clock them as “Muslim countries” the way they’re portrayed now. Pictured below is an image of Iranian women in the mid-1970s.
Many Americans consider beer to be both an essential and a pleasure of life. Although we here at The Price of Liberty are all teetotalers, we understand that attachment many people have, without being addicted to the stuff.
Which is why this story, from a few weeks before Christmas is worth sharing with readers. It appears that Budweiser will shut down its last brewery in the San Francisco Bay area (Fairfield) in February. And apparently its last plant in California.
No, it is not because the wonderful society of California is becoming more like its “ancestral” culture of the Mediterranean world which prizes wine over beer.
And no, it is not fallout from the stupid transgender advertising campaign that so trashed Budweiser some time ago. (And according to many, still does.)
It is because the plant lost $54 million bucks in 2024-2025.
Why? They blame rising labor costs in the Bay Area and California in general. But as you dig deeper, you find it is the tip of the iceberg. The State of California, the increasingly totalitarian and authoritarian State government, has created a political and financial climate that destroys even very large businesses. A combination of taxation, regulation, and interference in every action. Demands that cripple decision-making, drain or deny resources, and make profits vanish.
California, like many other States, is bankrupt. The idiots in Sacramento (admittedly, elected by a whole bunch of idiots or naive people who believe their nonsense) continue to pass new laws, new spending, and think that the vaunted miracle of California’s historical success is able to continue despite the massive piracy and the growing number of parasites.
California is rapidly descending into a Third-World country. Even more so than what we see in Minnesota or Michigan. (Or other States.) Why? For power and wealth? For hatred of some people or some political philosophy? We do not understand why, but we see the results of the actions that California and other States have taken, supposedly for the best of intentions.
Unintended consequences? Or the natural result of actions that are inherently evil?
Nationally (not just in now officially-Socialist New York City), there has been a push for decades to destroy all power and rights of landlords. (Of course, the name itself should be verboten: “-lord” is an example of feudalism at best, and tyranny at worst, right?
Part of the attack on people who rent out property to other people (especially when that property is a place to live) is making it more and more difficult to evict unwanted, unpaying, and abusive tenants, and squatters.
Thus it comes as a great surprise to The Price of Liberty to hear this news, as reported by Fox but still somethng we believe to be accurate:
Several politicians in both the traditional, old parties have publicly and frequently stated that Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in American history. At the same time, quite a few MAGA types have argued with the never-Trumpers and proclaimed the decrepit Uncle Joe Biden to have that same title. Over the years, we here at TPOL have heard the argument many times: Nixon? LBJ? Bush I? Bush II? Clinton? Obummer?
It is an argument that has been going on almost since the establishment of the Republic; perhaps even the Confederation. And certainly since the end of the Republic in 1914. Everyone has their “most unfavorite” president to nominate for the title.
We certainly believe that The Donald is corrupt, with substantial evidence to support this claim. But we note that, while the arguments rage, we point out that he appears no different from any of the last Baker’s Dozen (13) occupants of 1600 PA that we here at TPOL have lived with. (Be assured, several of us are just old enough to remember DDE as President.)
Following the regrettable death of a woman who used her car to knock down an ICE agent in Minneapolis, the Minnesota governor’s remarks raise an ugly specter.
He states that the Minnesota National Guard is being trained and is being prepared to be deployed to oppose federal forces. “”I said this yesterday, we’ve never been at war with our federal government,” the governor said during a media briefing.
This implies that Minnesota now is, or soon will be, at war with the FedGov. The governor and former candidate for VPOTUS made these statements in a telling location: the Minnesota State Emergency Operations Center.
This would seem to us to be a de-facto declaration that Minnesota is leaving the Union. His remarks seem to support the profane cry of the mayor of Minneapolis, for ICE to leave the city.
Well, my oh my! We applaud this bold effort. We urge this guy to immediately convene a secession convention in St. Paul to vote on immediately leaving the Union. Or just go straight to a general referendum. The question: “Should the State of Minnesota immediately leave the United States of America? Yes or No.” Hurrah and Huzzah for the Free State of Minnesota!
True North! Land of Ten Thousand Lakes. And Ten Billion Mosquitoes. And a Hundred Billion in fraud waste and corruption!
We know that there are many misconceptions and errors promoted by government, at all levels, and through various means. Public schools (government-run tax-funded institutions) are of course a major avenue of attack on the truth. To that, we can add many more ways we are taught lies by government, supporters of government, beneficiaries of government, and in general, slimeballs.
The media is of course a major tool for false teaching. And social media is one of the most effective in 2026. This was recently posted on one website:
This, strangely enough (and most ironically) was posted to challenge several wrong ideas, as regarding jurisdiction of the FedGov, and many related issues. But it is based on a false premise, and therefore teaches something just as wrong. And thus as dangerous to liberty.
That false teaching is something that is believed by millions of Americans. And indeed by billions of people around the world.
Way back in 1972, your publisher and editor heard and listened to a fellow high school student in Colorado give an “original oratory” speech at a speech meet proclaiming the need for a “Pax Americana.”
What’s that? A recreation from the District of Criminals of the Pax Romana, which supposedly established peace and prosperity inside the frontiers of the SPQR – the badly but morally misnamed “Senate and People of Rome.” That is, the Roman Empire.
He also compared it to the Pax Britannica, established by the United Kingdom’s British Empire from about 1815 to 1914.
Today, much of what that young man spoke of has been accomplished: not all, of course. The Soviets are gone, true. And American troops garrison many of the old Soviet Union’s Republics. And most of the former European part of the former “Second World” – the Soviet Bloc. 75 years after Soviet-backed Korean Communists started a war to reunite the peninsula, American troops still “keep the peace” in Korea. American legions garrison more than half of the world’s nations, and somewhat control the high ground: the orbitals. There are many other features that demonstrate that the American Empire is alive. And militarily stronger than ever.
This commentary could also be entitled “Just ’cause it’s legal doesn’t mean it is right.” That is, morally right. First we discuss the new NYC regime. Then we touch on the raid into Venezuela. Both are examples of what is politically acceptable (and condemned) as contrasted to what is right, proper, and wise.
Of course, since government is fundamentally not right morally, that comes as no surprise.
Today, we see that the evils of government are more obvious than ever.
For one, consider the new Mayor of New York City, the “democratic socialist” Zohran Mamdani and his plan to implement wide-scale types of extreme socialism in the former bastion of the free market. (Two notes: first, the Communist Party in Germany and several other European nations changed its name to the Democratic Socialist Party after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Secondly, much of what the City of New York government has implemented over decades (if not centuries) are examples of milder versions of socialism. If we dare consider any forms to be milder.)
“Every socialist is a disguised dictator.” –Ludwig von Mises
That question, of course, is meant less literally than morally.
To answer it, we must first understand who Jesus Christ was—the revered preacher, teacher, radical, prophet and (to those of us who follow Him) the Son of God—born into a police state not unlike the growing menace of America’s own police state. Born into a world at war. A multilayered government including the Judean Sanhedrin, a semi-constitutional monarchy (the Herodian client kings/tetrarchs), and an empire pretending to still be a republic. Does that sound familiar?
The Price of Liberty 
Put not your trust in princes…
The following message was posted on Monday, 12 January 2026 at about 0600 Mountain Time. This commentary follows up on yesterday’s. Iran and the people of the nation are in our prayers and we seek ways to encourage them.
Rezi Pahlevi is the “Crown Prince” of the former Imperial House of Iran (or Persia), the son of the overthrown Shah (Emperor) of Iran. His family claims to be the latest in a series of dynasties which we are told have ruled Persia for about 3,000 years, overthrown and replaced by the Iranian Islamic Republic in 1979, 47 years ago.
Do the people of Iran, and others, believe this? Should they? Our own position is clear.
Beloved people of Iran, my courageous compatriots,
Over the past two weeks—especially in the last four days—you have shaken the foundations of the illegitimate Islamic Republic through massive, nationwide demonstrations. Now, relying on your overwhelming response to the recent calls, and with the public mandate I have received from you, I am announcing a new phase of the national uprising to overthrow the Islamic Republic and reclaim our beloved Iran.
1. Inside Iran: In addition to taking and holding the central streets of our cities, all institutions and apparatuses responsible for the regime’s propaganda and for cutting communications are to be regarded as legitimate targets. Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people—and bear the nation’s lasting shame and condemnation.
2. Outside Iran: All Iranian embassies and consulates belong to the Iranian people. The time has come for them to be adorned with Iran’s national flag, in place of the disgraceful banner of the Islamic Republic.
We stand on the threshold of reclaiming our beloved Iran from the Islamic Republic. Khamenei and his regime have already suffered several heavy blows at your hands, and we must not allow them a moment to recover. The regime faces a severe shortage of forces of repression; the increase in gunfire against the people is not a sign of strength, but of fear—fear of collapse and an accelerated downfall. We will not allow these criminals to spill any more of our young people’s blood. We will not give them that chance. We will not retreat.
Iran’s freedom is near. The blood shed by Iran’s immortal sons and daughters guides our path to toward victory. We are not alone. International support will soon arrive. Standby for my next messages. Very soon, we will reclaim our beloved Iran back from the Islamic Republic, and celebrations of freedom and victory will fill every corner of our country.
Sure sounds good, doesn’t he?
We know little or nothing about this guy. We know a little more about his father, who was (or so we understand from various sources) put on the throne twice by American and British efforts. First to replace his father in WW2, and again in 1954 when he replaced what was considered a “democratically-elected” prime minister and parliament who had driven him into exile. It is stated that he became increasing authoritarian and hated by his people, but in particular, through Muslim himself, hated by the Shi’a clerical party who opposed his modernization and his relationship with Israel. This led to the 1979 Revolution in which he was overthrown.
Since then, the Ayatollah’s have headed up a regime which many describe as Islamofascist, and certainly is very hard-core Islamist and a strict enforcement of Sharia law.
Today, many Iranians, at home and abroad, seem to have pinned their hopes on a restoration of the dynasty and on Rezi Pahlevi to establish a constitutional monarchy that supports individual liberty and can restore the economy and society of the nation.
We point out that the Preacher’s (Solomon’s) warning about “Put not your trust in princes” (or human leaders in general) is very applicable to this.