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HIH Prince Reza Pahlavi (Persian: رضا پهلوی, born October 31, 1960) was born the Crown Prince of Iran as the eldest son of the late Emperor of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi. He was the Crown Prince of Iran until the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Since then he has been living in exile and has been a leading and vocal advocate of the principles of freedom, democracy and human rights for Iran.

Biography

Reza Pahlavi was born in Tehran, Iran on October 31, 1960 to the late Shah of Iran and Empress Farah Pahlavi. As Crown Prince of Iran and the eldest of four siblings, he left Iran at the age of 17 for air force training, during which time the establishment of the clerical regime in Iran prevented his return to his homeland. Despite being forced to live in exile, Reza Pahlavi’s commitment andpatriotic duty to Iran endures.

After leaving Iran, Reza Pahlavi completed his higher education with a degree in political science from the University of Southern California.^[1] An accomplished jet fighter pilot, Reza Pahlavi completed the United States Air Force Training Program at the former Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. During the Iran-Iraq War, Reza Pahlavi volunteered to serve his country’s military as a fighter pilot, but was declined by the clerical regime.

Over the past thirty years, Reza Pahlavi has been a leading advocate of the principles of freedom, democracy and human rights for his countrymen. He has maintained constant contact with his compatriots both inside and outside the country. Pahlavi has traveled the world meeting with many heads of state, legislators, policy-makers, interest groups and student groups speaking about the plight of Iranians under the Islamic regime in Iran. He has consistently spoken out against the widespread abuse and oppression of the Iranian people and called for the establishment of a secular democracy in Iran.

Reza Pahlavi has written three books on the state of Iran: Gozashteh va Ayandeh (Kayham Publishing, 2000), Winds of Change: The Future of Democracy in Iran (Regnery, 2002) and IRAN: L’Heure du Choix [IRAN: The Deciding Hour] (Denoël, 2009).

Reza Pahlavi has lived in Egypt, Morocco, and, since 1984, the United States. He married Yasmine Etemad Amini on June12, 1986. Yasmine is a graduate of The George Washington University School of Law and worked for ten years as a lawyer for the Children’s Law Center as a legal advocate for at-risk youth. Yasmine also founded the Foundation for the Children of Iran in 1991, a non-profit foundation that provides health care services to Iranian children or children of Iranian origin.

Reza Pahlavi is widely recognized as a leading voice in favor of a democratic and secular Iranian government. Urging audiences to support Iran’s movement toward democratic independence, Reza Pahlavi’s unparalleled perspective raises a new awareness about freedom in the Middle East.

Reza Pahlavi and his wife Yasmine have three daughters: Noor, Iman and Farah.

Family

He married Yasmine Etemad Amini on June 12, 1986 and currently lives in exile in the United States, with their three daughters: Noor (born April 3, 1992), Iman (born September 12, 1993), and Farah (born January 17, 2004).

Pahlavi's siblings include his sister HIH Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi (March 12, 1963), brother HIH Prince Ali-Reza Pahlavi (April 28, 1966), as well as a half-sister, HIH Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi (October 27, 1940). His youngest sister, HIH Princess Leila Pahlavi, passed away on June 10, 2001 at the age of 31 of an accidental drug overdose.

Monarchy

The revolution of 1979 led to the replacement of the Iranian Constitutional Monarchy with 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 Shāhanshāh (Literally, King of Kings in Persian) at the age of 21, but now his press releases refer to him as either "Reza Pahlavi" or "the former Crown Prince".

Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi after he was declared *Shāhanshāh in Koubbeh Palace in Cairo*

Offer to fight during the Iran–Iraq War

In 1980, at the start of the Iran–Iraq War, Pahlavi, a fighter pilot, wrote to General Valiollah Fallahi, 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.^[2]

Politics

Reza Pahlavi has used his high profile status as an Iranian abroad to campaign politically for human rights, democracy, and unity among 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 verifiable international standards and observation mechanisms.^[3]^[4]^[5] 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,^[6] believing that the people of Iran alone have the power to bring about change in their governmental system and society.

Human rights

On August 5, 2005, Pahlavi wrote to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, to criticize 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."^[7] 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.

Quotes

Idealism and realism, behavior change and regime change do not require different policies but the same: empowering the Iranian people.^[8]
June 22, 2009: "At worst, fanatical tyrants who know that the future is against them may end their present course on their terms: a nuclear holocaust,"^[9]

Honors

In 1967, he was awarded the Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi.^[10]
In 1970, he was awarded the Order of the Seraphim from King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden.^[10]
In 1974, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy.^[10]
He was awarded the Royal Order of the Drum by King Kigeli V of Rwanda.
In 2004, Reza Pahlavi was named as the "unofficial godfather"^[11] 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.^[12]

Publications

Reza Pahlavi, IRAN: L’Heure du Choix [IRAN: The Deciding Hour] (Denoël, 2009)[1]
Reza Pahlavi, Winds of Change: The Future of Democracy in Iran, Regnery Publishing Inc., 2002, ISBN 0-89526-191-X.
Reza Pahlavi, Gozashteh va Ayandeh, London: Kayham Publishing, 2000.^[13]

Footnotes

^ [http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,641984,00.html
^ Middle East News
^ BBC Radio
^ Reza Pahlavi interview
^ Reza Pahlavi interview
^ Reza Pahlavi interview
^ Letter to Kofi Annan
^ Hudson Institute Briefing Series
^ AFP: Police fire tear gas as Iran protesters defy Guards warning
^ ^a ^b ^c "www.4dw.nwet".
^ 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.
^ http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Princess-Louise-of-Belgium
^ Reza Pahlavi´s Web site

External links

Titles in pretence
Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran Pahlavi dynasty Born: 31 October 1960
Preceded by Mohammad Rez̤ā Pahlavī	— TITULAR — Shah of Iran 27 July 1980 – present Reason for succession failure: Monarchy abolished in 1979	Incumbent Heir: Prince Ali-Rez̤ā Pahlavī II

[1] [http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,641984,00.html

[2] Middle East News

[3] BBC Radio

[4] Reza Pahlavi interview

[5] Reza Pahlavi interview

[6] Reza Pahlavi interview

[7] Letter to Kofi Annan

[8] Hudson Institute Briefing Series

[9] AFP: Police fire tear gas as Iran protesters defy Guards warning

[4dw-10] "www.4dw.nwet".

[11] 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.

[12] ttp://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Princess-Louise-of-Belgium

[13] Reza Pahlavi´s Web site

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 The revolution of 1979 led to the replacement of the Iranian Constitutional Monarchy with an [[Islamic republic]]. Although the most prominent royals now live in exile, some Iranians still regard Pahlavi as the current [[Pahlavi dynasty|Shah of Iran]]. After the death of his father, [[Mohammad Reza Shah]], Pahlavi symbolically declared himself ''Shāhanshāh'' (Literally, ''[[King of Kings]]'' in Persian) at the age of 21, but now his press releases refer to him as either "Reza Pahlavi" or "the former Crown Prince".
 [[File:Crpcairo.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi after he was declared ''Shāhanshāh in [[Koubbeh Palace]] in Cairo]]
+{{Iranian Imperial Family}}
 ==Offer to fight during the Iran–Iraq War==
 In 1980, at the start of the [[Iran–Iraq War]], Pahlavi, a fighter pilot, wrote to General [[Valiollah Fallahi]], 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.<ref>[http://www.mideastnews.com/Reza0202.html Middle East News]</ref>
-{{Iranian Imperial Family}}
 ==Politics==
 Reza Pahlavi has used his high profile status as an Iranian abroad to campaign politically for [[human rights]], democracy, and unity among 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.