"Since the overthrow of his father, Iran's last shah, Reza Pahlavi has spent nearly half a century exiled in the United States. In uprisings in recent years, including at the start of 2026, Pahlavi has used his platform to call for greater action on the streets of Iran. As protests continue across Iran, he has cast himself as a pro-secular, pro-democratic voice in support of regime change."
"Born in 1960, Pahlavi is the eldest son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his wife, Farah. He was formally named crown prince at the age of 7 during his father's own coronation in 1967. But Pahlavi has been unable to return to Iran since the overthrow of the US-aligned monarchy in 1979 in response to political suppression and rising inequality, leading to the theocratic regime that has ruled the country ever since."
Reza Pahlavi has lived in exile in the United States since the 1979 overthrow of the US-aligned monarchy. Named crown prince as a child, he cannot return to Iran under the theocratic government that followed the revolution. He trained as a fighter pilot in the United States during the revolution, later studied political science at the University of Southern California, and established permanent residence in the United States. Pahlavi speaks out against Iran's regime, presents himself as pro-secular and pro-democratic, supports referendums for Iranians to choose their future, and has offered to serve as an interim leader if the government collapses.
Read at www.dw.com
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