Reza Pahlavi

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Pretender
Reza Pahlavi
Born October 31, 1960 (1960-10-31) (age 47)
Tehran, Iran
Regnal name claimed Reza Shah II (according to supporters)
Title(s) Crown Prince (which he does not use or claim)
Throne(s) claimed Iran
Pretend from July 27, 1980 - present
Monarchy abolished 1979
Last monarch HIM Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlavi
Connection with eldest son
Royal House House of Pahlavi
Father HIM Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlavi
Mother Empress Farah Pahlavi (Diba)
Spouse Yasmine Pahlavi
Children Noor, Iman, Farah

Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran (Persian: رضا پهلوی, born October 31, 1960) is the eldest son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his Empress Consort, Farah Diba.

He succeeded his father as Head of the House of the Pahlavi dynasty[1] and is currently the successor to the former Pahlavi throne of Iran.[2] As such he is referred to by supporters as His Imperial Majesty Reza Shah II, though he does not use this style himself.[3]

Contents

In 1978, Pahlavi moved to the United States to complete his higher education. He was trained as a jet fighter pilot at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas, and attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, before graduating with a degree in political science from the University of Southern California. He has not returned to Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

After the revolution, Reza Pahlavi lived in exile in Morocco and Egypt until 1984, when he settled in the United States.

In 2004, Reza Pahlavi was named as the "unofficial godfather"[4] of Princess Louise of Belgium the eighth granddaughter of King Albert II of Belgium. The decision to choose him was criticized by the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic.[5]

He lives in Potomac, Maryland, with his wife, the former Yasmine Etemad Amini, and their three daughters: Princess Noor, (born April 3, 1992) Princess Iman, (born September 12, 1993), and Princess Farah (born January 17, 2004).

Pahlavi's siblings include Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi (March 12, 1963), a brother Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi (April 28, 1966), as well as a half-sister, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi (October 27, 1940). His youngest sister, Princess Leila, died of a drug overdose in 2001, as the result of long depression.

Official CoA & Flag of the Crown Prince
Official CoA & Flag of the Crown Prince

The Iranian monarchy was overthrown after the revolution of 1979 and replaced by an Islamic republic. Although the most prominent royals now live in exile, some Iranians still regard Pahlavi as the current Shah of Iran. After the death of his father, Mohammad Reza Shah, Pahlavi symbolically declared himself Shahanshah at the age of 21, but now his press releases refer to him as either "Reza Pahlavi" or "the former Crown Prince".

In 1980, at the start of the Iran-Iraq War, Pahlavi, a fighter pilot, wrote to General Velayatollah Felahie, Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, offering to fight in the air force for Iran in the war. The offer was rebuffed.[6]

Young Reza Pahlavi proclaiming himself as the crown prince of Iran on television.
Young Reza Pahlavi proclaiming himself as the crown prince of Iran on television.

In an interview with David Frost on the BBC's Breakfast with Frost programme, Pahlavi defined his aims with the words "I think that the choice of future government should be left to the Iranian people to decide in a free election. What form it ultimately take is up to them, the issue, the essential point for me is that there is no way that we can achieve the aspirations that we have as a nation unless we have the separation of church and state and under the current regime clearly we don't have that."[7] Reza Pahlavi has clearly stated though that in his opinion a constitutional monarchic system will better serve democracy in Iran rather than a republic system.[8]

Critics are dismissive of the prospective return of a Pahlavi to the throne. "Speaking purely theoretically, everything is possible," prominent pro-reform journalist Mashallah Shamsolvaezin told Agence France-Presse. "After all, look what happened in Spain after the fall of General Franco — a king replaced him. But if we look at the reality of Iranian society today, the hypothesis of a return of the monarchy is very far from reality. The revolution and the Islamic republic have reinforced the foundation of a republican system in Iran, and there are very few people who want a monarchy. The overwhelming majority of people are against it."[9]

Others are less dismissive. Rob Sobhani, an academic and political activist told the BBC "I think there's a role for all dissidents, including the son of the Shah - because Iran today is thirsty for leadership, Iran is thirsty for someone with vision. I think what's lacking in Iranian politics today is someone with a vision. I think if that individual - a man or a woman - appears on the scene and grabs the attention of the Iranian people, with a vision of what he or she would like the country to move towards, they will certainly be the beneficiary of that goodwill, that thirst for a leader."[10]

Pahlavi maintains a hope that opposition groups such as the nationalist and the communist parties are also against the current regime can be united to bring down the regime.[11]

Reports do however speak of a growing curiosity about Pahlavi. A Wall Street Journal report in November 2001 quoted a 17-year-old Iranian student as saying "We didn't know who he was. But as soon as we heard him, we felt it was our own words that we couldn't say. He said them beautifully."[12]

Reza Pahlavi has used his high profile status as an Iranian abroad to campaign politically for human rights, democracy, and unity to Iranians in Iran and outside it. On his website he calls for a separation of religion and state in Iran and for free and fair elections "for all freedom-loving individuals and political ideologies". He exhorts all groups dedicated to a democratic agenda to work together for a democratic and secular Iranian government.

Pahlavi has used media appearances to urge Iran's theocratic government to accept a referendum that used independently verfiable international standards and observation mechanisms.[13][14][15] He has also urged Iranians to engage in a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience, starting with non-participation in elections of the Islamic republic (elections he views as "undemocratic"), followed by peaceful demonstrations and strikes. He is, however, an outspoken opponent of any foreign military intervention for regime change in Iran,[16] believing that the people of Iran alone have the power to bring about change in their governmental system and society.

On August 5, 2005, Pahlavi wrote to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, to criticise the decision "not to call for a Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran during the last meeting of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights."[17]

In the letter, he wrote

Many if not all the political prisoners in Iran are brutalized and held in solitary confinement in spite of the numerous specific recommendations of the United Nations to stop and put an end to such inhuman practices. Unfortunately the Islamic Republic of Iran has so far ignored these recommendations as well as all the urgent appeals made by international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Despite the threats, human rights activists in Iran continue to fight for their freedom and human rights at the risk of imprisonment, torture, disappearance and death. I salute their courage and dedication.[18]


  • Reza Pahlavi, Gozashteh va Ayandeh, London: Kayham Publishing, 2000.[19]

  1. ^ www.4dw.nwet.
  2. ^ See also: Mohammad Hassan Mirza II
  3. ^ www.4dw.net.
  4. ^ The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of the child being baptized, does not accept non-Catholics as godparents, given the religious nature of the role, so Pahlavi's role was downgraded to unofficial, not formal.
  5. ^ AFP report 6 September 2004
  6. ^ Middle East News
  7. ^ Interview with Sir David Frost, "Breakfast with Frost" 20 January 2002
  8. ^ Interview with Human Events
  9. ^ AFP interview with Iranians on the issue of the possible return of the monarchy
  10. ^ BBC News 30 July 2003
  11. ^ Interview with Human events
  12. ^ Middle East News
  13. ^ BBC Radio
  14. ^ Reza Pahlavi interview
  15. ^ Reza Pahlavi interview
  16. ^ Reza Pahlavi interview
  17. ^ Letter to Kofi Annan
  18. ^ ibid
  19. ^ Pahlavi´s website

Reza Pahlavi
Born: 31 October 1960
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi		 — TITULAR —
Shah of Iran
1980-
Reason for succession failure:
Monarchy abolished in 1979		 Incumbent
Designated heir:
Ali Reza Pahlavi
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Pahlavi"
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