Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif is under fire after posting a highly offensive tweet targeting Reza Pahlavi II, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The tweet, shared around 1 am on Tuesday, has sparked outrage online due to its crude language.
The outburst came as a reaction to a BBC interview where Pahlavi said the Iranian people are energized and motivated, seeing a rare chance to overthrow the Islamic regime. In response, Asif wrote:
If Iranian people are energised and motivated according to you, show some balls and go back and lead them and remove the regime. Put your money where your arse is, bloody parasitical imperial whore..
The tweet quickly spread, amassing thousands of views within hours.
https://twitter.com/KhawajaMAsif/status/1934709023703531764
Social media users condemned the minister’s language, with many questioning his suitability for office. One user posted, “Language? Does it merit a federal minister? What else can we expect from you?” Another wrote, “I’ve always admired your voice — but really… this? Criticism is legitimate. Vulgarity is not. We may differ politically with Reza Pahlavi, but personal slurs only weaken the moral ground of any cause. To Reza Pahlavi and all who respect Iran’s royal legacy, we are truly sorry for the language used. Let’s disagree with dignity. We must not become what we oppose.”
At the moment, Khawaja Asif has not deleted the tweet or issued an apology, though pressure continues to mount from both Pakistani and international users.
