Pranksters dressed as Hitler trick Reza Pahlavi into believing Germany 'ready' to bomb Iran
A group of Russian pranksters, one dressed as Adolf Hitler, tricked Iranian monarchist leader Reza Pahlavi into believing Germany was preparing to bomb Iran.
Vovan and Lexus, comedians known for prank-calling world leaders, spoke with Pahlavi via Zoom while claiming to be advisers to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
One of the pranksters, who said his name was “Adolf” and appeared dressed as Hitler, told the son of Iran’s former ruler that German intelligence was “ready to bomb Tehran”.
“The more countries we have in coalition to attack the regime in Iran, the better it is," responded Pahlavi. “It’s a welcome point for us to have more people joining in this crusade."
Pahlavi emphasised the importance of "neutralising" Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) so that Iranians can return to the streets and overthrow the government.
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At one point, the prankster dressed as Hitler told Pahlavi that his grandfather had known Pahlavi’s father, the last shah of Iran.
"He served in the German army and was an agent in Tehran in the 40s," he said.
Pahlavi replied: "That's very interesting, good to know."
🇷🇺🇮🇷 MUST WATCH! Famous Russian Pranksters Troll Reza Pahlavi!
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) March 4, 2026
Vovan & Lexus, posing as advisers to Germany’s Chancellor Merz contacted him, one introducing himself as “Adolf” and even appearing on camera dressed to resemble Adolf Hitler. Despite the obvious absurdity, Pahlavi… pic.twitter.com/1JZuWEKqYV
As the interviewers asked whether people "under the bombardment of Israel" would support his pro-Israel position, Pahlavi’s adviser Justin Forsyth called him away from the video for a phone call.
Pahlavi has yet to comment publicly on the incident.
Forsyth, who is British, resigned from his role at Unicef in 2018 after receiving three complaints of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff while chief executive of the charity Save the Children.
Vovan and Lexus have gained notoriety for a range of prank interviews carried out since 2011.
Among those targeted have been former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, late US Senator John McCain and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who they called while posing as Ukrainian politicians Petro Poroshenko and Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
They have been accused of being backed by Russian intelligence services, which they deny, and have said they would stop short of mocking President Vladimir Putin as they would not "want to do anything that would help the enemies of Russia".
German ambiguity
Although Germany has criticised Iran's attacks on US military bases, it has been muted in its support for US and Israeli attacks on the country.
On Friday, Merz warned that Iran's territorial integrity should be maintained and that any state collapse would have a negative impact on Europe.
"The Iranian state must remain functional, and public order and basic services must be maintained," he said at a skilled trades fair in the southern city of Munich.
"The Iranian economy must not collapse. Uncontrolled migration from Iran must be prevented."
Pahlavi, whose father was Iran's monarch between 1941 and 1979, has long presented himself as a potential ruler in the event of the Islamic Republic's collapse. He has also supported Israeli and American attacks on the country.
Pahlavi has a large support base in the diaspora but remains a far more contentious figure within Iran itself. Much of the criticism centres on his refusal to disavow the legacy of his father’s rule, which Amnesty International in 1976 described as featuring “the worst human rights record in the world”.
US President Donald Trump has been unenthusiastic about Pahlavi as a potential post-Islamic Republic ruler.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump seemed reluctant when asked about the Iranian monarchist.
“We haven’t been thinking too much about that. It would seem to me that somebody from within, maybe, would be more appropriate," he said.
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